


The Spark That Guides

by ANProductions



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Action/Adventure, Friendship, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-01-01
Updated: 2012-11-24
Packaged: 2017-11-19 08:16:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 30,463
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/571124
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ANProductions/pseuds/ANProductions
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The fables of days past tell that in worlds swallowed by darkness, small fragments of light remain in the hearts of children. Those who share the same bonds, though their paths may differ. Within them lies a glimmer to rebuild the fallen worlds, a spark to unlock the gateway. For Maxx and her friends, new and old, legends have become reality, and their only way home lies within.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Sunset Isle

_A scattered dream_

_that's like a far off memory._

_A far off memory_

_that's like a scattered dream._

_I want to line the pieces up-_

_yours and mine._

Darkness. Cold and heavy, it shrouded the blackened sea, pierced only by the round, pale moon. Sharp, jagged rocks curved out of the water into the starless sky, framing the view of the lone figure seated before the shore. They were still, and silent. Even the silver bangles hanging from the chest of their dark, hooded cloak did not make sound.

To the left a disturbance in the empty space overpowered the hum of the lapping waves. A smaller form stepped out of the swirling void that had appeared, dressed in the same attire. The seated individual watched as they approached.

"You were not expected." A man's deep voice came from within the faceless shadow under the hood. "You know, you are not entitled to any information. However, you did come all this way. I suppose I could tell you something..."

The smaller someone simply stared.

"I have seen him. You look alike in many ways," The male voice stated.

"Who are you?" A calm tone came for his accompaniment.

"That is not your concern," he told them, "My name is not important anyway. But what about you, your true name? Can you recall?"

"My true name... It's..."

" _Sora..."_

" _Whoa! Gimme a break Kai-"_

" _Giving up already?"_

" _If there are any other worlds out there, why did we end up on this one?"_

" _This world has been connected."_

" _Wh-who's there?"_

" _Tied to the darkness..."_

" _Sora, don't ever change."_

" _The door has opened..."_

"Nnng... Uhh..."

Maxx shifted restlessly in her bed, stirring from a troubled sleep. Still tired, her navy eyes slowly opened, and she took a moment to stare at her ceiling.

"Another dream..." she wearied, lifting her hand to her forehead and tangling her fingers into her yellow-blonde hair, "... with him again."

Her thought slipped away as the sound of the morning bells at the harbor station reached her. Tiredly, she lifted herself to her knees and pushed open the window over her bed. The orange glow of the morning sun warmed her face as she looked out on the view of the waking town, Sunset Isle. Smoke threaded from tiny chimneys upon the rooftops. Beyond the buildings of town, Maxx could see the violet sea stretch to the horizon. She sighed, resting her chin on arm as she leaned on her window sill. The summer holiday was starting very soon. The day it began everyone in town would be going down to the beach at sundown. It was the first night the dusk blossoms opened.

Dusk blossom plants grew everywhere in town, especially near the ocean. Rich green creeping vines cover the stonework seawall. Their buds would appear in late spring, and the first day of summer holidays, each would bloom a small, deep purple flower at sunset. When the sun was gone, the blossoms would glow through the night, turning the beach into a sea of stars. When morning came, they would close until evening returned.

Going to watch the first night was a yearly event. Maxx and her friends had been planning their trip since the start of spring term.

"Six more days," she told herself. "Better change into my uniform."

_\- The 1st Day -_

Dressed and on her way, Maxx tugged on a pair of wrist guards as she coasted down a hill on her rollerblades, then pressed on, praying she'd get to school on time. Despite the fact Maxx was running behind, she skidded to a stop in front of an open shop window, her wheels squealing. She poked her head into the shop and looked side to side.

"Cheni!" she called.

A young woman with pink and black hair came out of the back. "Sorry Maxx," she said.

"S'okay," Maxx nodded, "Just the usual, please. And hurry, I'm going to be late!"

The woman with multicoloured hair reached into a freezer next to her, stuffed to the brim with tiny white boxes. She plucked up the closest one and handed to it a jittery Maxx.

"Thanks," she said, yanking the carton from her. As she started off down the street again, Cheni stuck her head out the shop window.

"Hey!" she called, "Are you going to pay for tomorrow's on your way home!"

Maxx turned around and glided backward, gesturing to the wooden sword hilt protruding from her school bag. "I have practice!" she yelled back. She had already removed her daily sea salt ice cream from its box, and was gumming it intently. "I'll pay tomorrow!"

Maxx kept rolling along without turning forward, even after she arced around a street corner.

_CRASH!_

She collided straight into another being, sending them both for a painful encounter with the pavement.

"Oy!" the other behind her growled. Maxx gasped at the voice, and noticed the long, red hair that had rested on her shoulder. She bounded to her feet, as did the person who she had slammed into.

"Yo Maxx," The lanky redhead said, flinging his jacket over his shoulder, "What's the idea."

"Back off, Reno," Maxx glared, flinging her hand behind her head and grasping her sword handle.

"Hey, you ran into me," Reno said, "I should be the one who feels vulnerable."

Maxx glared and wheeled around him. Reno and his gang attended the same school as she did. They were strong rivals with Maxx and her friends, and they always seemed to be at each others' throats.

"If I wasn't late, Reno, I'd kick your ass," Maxx threatened.

Reno shrugged as Maxx made a face at him and charged off down the street.

* * *

Besides her morning encounter, the day passed as a dull, hazy blur, as it always did. Maxx coasted at a slow pace from the school though the twisting streets until she reached a small alleyway. The tattered, red curtain at the end was pushed aside, revealing the room behind it. It had smooth brick walls, and a grated iron ceiling that let the sun's orange rays pour in. There were several large crates pushed against the walls, along with an old abandoned sofa. It was close to the harbor, so the sound of docking ships and screeching gulls droned constantly in the background.

This was where Maxx and her friends would meet daily after school and on Sundays. It was uncreatively named 'The Usual Spot'.

In a far corner of the room, there was a girl with long hair kneeling on one of the crates. She was drawing something onto the wall with white chalk, so her back was turned.

"Hey Nyaru," Maxx said, plopping her schoolbag down onto the couch.

The girl turned her head and smiled. Nyaru was a beautiful girl with long bronze hair, and lovely ice blue eyes. She was a year younger than Maxx, and always had a cheerful demeanor about her.

She was so pretty, in fact, that Maxx sometimes couldn't even comprehend how they became friends in the first place. She was Nyaru's polar opposite. Her friend was lovely, feminine, and always very proper, while she exemplified none of those things. Maxx was rough and tumble, all too casual, and crassly direct. Even her appearance contrasted Nyaru's stunning presence. Her blonde hair was choppy and frazzled, and never laid flat no matter what she did. The angles of her face were sharp and jarring, from her cheekbones to her nose, flat as a board from bridge to tip. Her shoulders and arms had clearly defined tone from long hours of activity, while obvious tendons protruded from her thin neck and wrists. She had little, if any, figure. Her hips were narrow, nearly a straight line from her ribcage to her short, curveless legs. The only hint of femininity she displayed was her pointed blue eyes, surrounded by the longest, blackest feathered lashes anyone had seen.

"Is Corr here yet?" Maxx asked, as she pulled a change of clothes out of her bag.

"Yeah," Nyaru replied.

Maxx headed to a curtained alcove to change out of her uniform. "Where?" she asked.

"He's…" Nyaru cut herself off as Maxx pulled the drape open, where someone was just beginning to pull on their shirt. "…changing." Nyaru finished.

"Gah!" Maxx exclaimed. She clapped her hands over her eyes. "Sorry Corr!"

Corr was a tall, handsome boy who was Nyaru's age. His dirty blonde hair was cut short and uneven, and small bright streak stood out on the left side of his face. Not even Corr knew why it was there. As soon as his hair started growing when he was young, the blonde streak had grown in with the rest of the darker strands. His eyes were a rich green-blue.

Nyaru blushed as Corr simply finished pulling on his shirt, and stood aside to let Maxx change.

"Shuurei should be here soon," Corr said, to no one in particular.

"Hey all." A young girl with a camera around her neck waltzed into the room.

"Speak of the devil," Nyaru grinned.

Shuurei was the youngest of the little clique. Her wavy, jet black hair, always in a ponytail, reached all the way to her waist, and her blue eyes were so dark they looked almost black. She loved taking pictures, so she was always toting around her little black camera.

Maxx finished changing, and took a seat on one of the crates. Everyone followed suit, and Nyaru claimed the sofa.

As Corr, Nyaru and Shuurei chatted amongst themselves, Maxx silently sat on her box, staring down at her hands. She couldn't get the dreams out of her mind. They had come to her so many times now, each more vivid than the next. They had to mean something, but no matter how hard she tried, she could never make sense of any of it. Those people, places, events... She had never seen any of it.

Nyaru broke momentarily from the conversation, glancing over at her friend. Maxx's expression was rock solid, her eyes darting this way and that as she drifted through her thoughts. Nyaru was about to ask her if she was alright, but Corr spoke up before she could.

"It just burns me up," Corr fumed.

"Yeah, it just isn't right," Shuurei agreed.

"Tseng's gone too far," Nyaru chimed.

Corr looked over at Maxx, who was still staring at her palms. She felt his gaze and looked over to him, nodding awkwardly.

Corr hopped up from his seat. "I mean, I realize that there's been all this theft around town. I can't blame Tseng if he wants to think we're at fault. We do want to get even, after all..."

Corr was referring to an older boy Maxx went to school with. Tseng was the leader of Reno's gang. Two others also stuck with him, Cait Sith and Elena. They had recently taken up the task of keeping everything in line, at least on their terms, referring to themselves as the 'Sunset Isle Disciplinary Committee'. Maxx and her friends looked upon this as, not only unnecessary, but also unbearably inconvenient, as they seemed to be one of Tseng's preferable targets. Due to the fact that the two groups were always at odds with one another, Nyaru had noticed her group's reputation begin to tarnish, ever so slowly. After all, despite the fact that Tseng and company were sleazy and hot-headed, they at least appeared to be doing something relevant for Sunset Isle, even if they weren't in truth. Maxx and her friends were just some kids who sat in an abandoned storeroom near the harbor, spending their after school hours chatting and snacking on sea salt ice cream, never giving a thought about what lay beyond. Because of Tseng, their innocent reputation was slipping away, and Corr felt they needed to do something to deal with it.

"But that's not what bothers me," Corr continued. "What bothers me is that he's going around telling everyone we're to blame, so now the whole town is treating us like criminals. I can't stand it!" He glanced at Maxx. "So what do we do?"

A look of worry consumed Nyaru's face. Corr was beginning to take the situation personally, and she didn't want him to do anything rash. She gazed over at Maxx, hoping she'd say something to him to cool his jets.

Maxx saw the look on Nyaru's face, and understood what her friend was thinking. "Well..." She hesitated. "What if we found whoever really was stealing stuff? Then no one could pin it on us anymore."

"Detective work," Shuurei smiled, lifting her camera to her face. "Sounds like fun. I can take more pictures."

"And Tseng?" Corr muttered.

"We can worry about that later," Maxx replied. "Settling the score with him will be no problem once no one suspects us."

"Hmm," Corr hummed in agreement.

"Oh no!" Shuurei exclaimed. She had wandered to a separate corner of the room and was fiddling about with her camera. "Th-they're gone.." she stammered. "The - I took are gone!" The next moment her eyes grew to the size of saucers as a strange feeling welled up in her chest and up her throat. She held her neck and grit her teeth. "Wha...?" she choked.

"Shuurei!" Corr exclaimed. "They're really gone? All our -?" Corr felt himself cut off as the same sensation filled his core. He clenched his face and clasped his collar with his hands.

"What's this?" Nyaru gasped. "Why can't you say -?"

"But you understand, yeah?" Shuurei said. "They're all missing."

"Stolen..." Maxx said thoughtfully, "... and not just the -. They stole the word too."

"Who could do that?" Corr conjectured. "Tseng couldn't pull off something like this."

"Yeah, you're right," Maxx frowned.

"That's it," Corr grinned determinedly. "Time for a little sleuthing."

The three girls nodded, and they all headed for the outside.

As the other three pulled ahead, Maxx suddenly felt her knees go weak and her head spin. Before she could react, she collapsed to the ground, her vision turning black.

_The 13th second candidate._

_Take your place, or leave the other to their fate._

_The choice is yours._

"Mmmnh..." Maxx groaned as she came to a few moments later. Holding her hand to her head, she lifted herself off the ground, brushed off her pants, and glanced about the room. It was empty, excluding herself. She must have imagined the voice.

Nyaru came back into the room, stopping just beyond the doorway. "Maxx, you coming?"

She nodded, and followed her friend out to the street.

* * *

Nyaru and Maxx made their way out to the harbor market area, meeting Shuurei and Corr outside the armor shop.

"Let's get started," Corr told them.

"Gee Maxx," the shopkeep interjected, leaning on the outdoor counter. "I can't believe you actually stole stuff. I never imagined you do anything like that."

"I didn't steal anything," Maxx frowned.

"I wish I could believe you," he assured her, "But I can't see why anyone else would steal those."

"What exactly do you think I stole?" she asked.

"Like you don't know," he chastised, gesturing to the shop across the street. "I'm not saying anything. Go ask at the accessory shop."

The group turned to the shop they had been sent to. Maxx sighed dejectedly. As Corr passed her, he gave his friend a comforting pat on the shoulder, and guided her across the road.

As they approached the shop window, the owner looked at Maxx with surprise. "Oh, Maxx, it's you. You used to be one of my favorite customers. Please don't disappoint me..."

The accused girl shoved her hands in to her pockets, scuffing her sole on the ground with agitation. "I never stole anything..."

The owner looked reluctantly doubtful. "Okay..."

"It's not like I enjoy everyone suspecting me," Maxx added.

"You've got to find a way to prove you're innocent," the owner advised. "Cheni was crushed when I told her."

"Cheni knows too...?" Maxx groaned forlornly.

"Let's go talk to her," Nyaru suggested.

Around the street corner, Cheni smiled at the youngsters as they came up to her window. "Hey you four," she greeted cheerily, struggling with a large bowl as they approached her booth. "Haven't seen Coro, have you?"

"Uh..." Maxx uttered, eyes shifting. Coro was Cheni's large orange cat. Checking the most obvious of places first, she glanced up. Sure enough, Coro lay sprawled on the vinyl awning, looking quite content as he warmed himself in the sun. Seeing nothing else to boost herself, Maxx grabbed Corr's sleeves from behind, and, crawling up his back, perched her knees on his shoulders.

"Gah!" he sputtered, instinctively grabbing her waist to keep balanced.

"Hold still," she told him.

"Geez, you're heavy for a short person," he quipped. Maxx snapped her knee forward, ramming the toe of her shoe into his shoulder blade. "Ouch!" he grunted. "Watch it. That shoulder is keeping you up."

Maxx ignored him as she reached up and grabbed the front bar of the overhang. Corr released his grip on her as she swung herself up.

"Hey Kitty," she smiled, petting Coro's head.

Low purring came from his throat as Maxx slung Coro over her shoulder. Gripping the bar with her free hand, she pushed herself off the overhang and dangled momentarily by one arm until she released her grip, falling to her feet to the ground below.

"Oh, thank you," Cheni bubbled, fetching Coro from Maxx's arms.

"I was told you heard the rumor about me," Maxx inquired, sweeping the cat fur from her clothes.

Cheni nodded hesitantly. "The accessory shop owner told me when I mentioned stuff from the store went missing."

"I hope I don't have to tell you, but I didn't do it," Maxx insisted.

"I never doubted you," Cheni assured her.

"Thank you," Maxx crooned. "So what did you have stolen?"

"My -. A bunch of them," Cheni explained.

Corr looked to his friends. "Looks liked everyone is having their - taken, the word included."

"This is no run of the mill thief," Shuurei mused.

"Tseng must know something," Nyaru added.

"Well then," Maxx said, a confident grin spread across her face, "let's go find him!"

* * *

The quartet wasted no time making their way to the training grounds, where they knew for sure Tseng and his less than desirable company could be found. Puffs of dust billowed from the ground under their feet as they made their way into the enclosed square. They stopped in dead center, discovering Elena, Reno, and Cait Sith looking over the scoreboard.

Elena, the first to notice, turned to them, scowling fiercely. "Thieves!"

"That was low, yo." Reno flicked a strand of red hair out of his eye.

Corr glowered at their rivals. "Is that so?"

"Nice comeback, blondie."

Corr grit his teeth as Tseng entered the grounds, smiling smugly.

"Come over here and say that!" Corr threatened, his hands tightening into fists.

"Maybe another time," Tseng replied in a calm, self-righteous tone. "For now, you can give us back the - you stole."

Nyaru's hands fell to her hips. "We've nothing to give," she retorted.

"Yeah," Shuurei fumed. "What makes you think we took them anyway."

"Simple, those - were undeniable proof that we had you pathetic weaklings completely pawned," Tseng gloated, as he began to circle them. "So..." the dark haired boy stopped next to his companions, "...what did you do? Burn them? Drench them? Bury them? Heh, not that it really matters, of course. We don't need some worthless - to prove that you're pathetic."

"Wash, rinse, repeat," Elena grinned icily.

"My thoughts exactly," Tseng agreed.

As Tseng and his crew fell into a battle stance, Maxx and Corr were quick to follow suit.

"Perhaps if you kneel and beg I'll let it go," Tseng offered.

Furrowing her brow, Maxx straightened herself, glaring hard at Tseng. Corr watched, shocked she approached Tseng, and fell to her knees before him. She stared at the dirt beneath her hands, digging her fingernails in hard as she listened to Elena and Reno laugh at her mockingly.

"Maxx, what're you doing!" Corr scolded.

The sound of Corr's voice brought Maxx's sights forward, to the training katana before Tseng's feet. Swiftly, she dashed forward, grabbed the weapon, and leapt back, ready to duel.

"You can do it, Maxx!" Shuurei cheered.

"What's the matter Tseng?" Maxx grinned slyly. "Afraid to fight a weakling?"

"Hmph," Tseng smirked as he took the wood sword Elena offered to him. With a snap of his arm, he held out in front of him, pointing it at Maxx's face. "Kneel, scum!"

Fueled by rage, Maxx charged and took a hard swing at Tseng's side, which he blocked.

"Stop wasting my time," he jeered. "Fight like you mean it!" He nudged Maxx away. With a firm hit to her collarbone, Tseng knocked her to the ground, and moved to strike from above. Maxx threw her shinai above her head. Tseng's attack ricocheted off the shaft, and she landed a hit to the side of his ribcage as he stumbled. Tseng instinctively reached to hold his side, and Maxx, returning to her feet, landed a second blow too his shoulder. As she went to strike again, Tseng clumsily blocked. Reacting quickly, Maxx countered with a sharp knock to his forearm, and finally a solid stab to the chest. Tseng staggered for a moment, then fell to one knee, gripping his chest.

Reno and Elena rushed to their leader, standing between him and Maxx.

"Tseng's not at his best," Reno excused.

"Competition decides," Elena proclaimed.

Shuurei bounced with excitement, lifting her camera and snapping a picture of Maxx standing over the fallen Tseng. "Way to go!" she praised.

Maxx smiled at her friend, when suddenly a white blur that seemed to come from nowhere swirled around Shuurei, ripping her camera from her grasp, and took off down a narrow street toward the market area of the harbor.

"What the..." Corr faltered.

"The thief!" Nyaru declared.

"Follow it!" Maxx hollered, and raced after the odd creature. She chased it through the twists and turns of the city side streets. Eventually she could no longer see her friends behind her. Not wanting to lose it, she decided to meet them later, and continued to chase the culprit. It led her all the way to the edge of town, where she hesitated as it dove into the forest that lead to the old abandoned beach house.

"Easy to get lost in there..." she thought to herself. Frowning, she huffed and shook her head. "Gotta catch it," she told herself, and took off into the trees. Inside, she saw the strange being dancing wildly around the tree trunks, obviously not trying to hide. Maxx watched it with slight confusion. It was acting like it wanted her to follow it. "Fine by me," she told it, heading the way it went as it ducked out into the open.

Shoving her way through dense brush, Maxx found the critter waiting outside the gates to the beach mansion, swaying idly. As she approached, feeling it watch her, she heard a strange, garbled voice.

_Comrade, join us once more._

Maxx growled through gritted teeth. "Shut up!" she ordered, swinging at it with the sword she had brought with her. It hurled backward, but quickly regained it's wobbly stature. She made another few attempts, but to no avail. No amount of force seemed to phase it.

"No good," she panted.

That moment, she felt her right arm begin to tingle and go warm. Stunned, she watched as the wooden shinai in her hand was consumed by a white glow, semitransparent shapes swirling about it. It lasted for but an instant, fading away to reveal a completely different weapon. In her grip was a long, flat blade sword, the hilt adorned with navy and white wing shapes, and a bright blue cat's eye gem in the middle. The handle was woven black and red, with a crimson sash and a chain with a charm hanging from the end.

"Where did this come from?" Maxx gaped. She looked from the sword to her foe, then back again, deciding to try again. The new weapon made a very different sound as it struck grey flesh of the creature, obviously doing damage to it. Maxx grinned in surprised satisfaction. Lunging forward, she struck at it repeatedly until it burst into distorted light, scattering photos everywhere as it faded away.

The sword in Maxx's hand disappeared just as it had come to her, leaving her palm empty. Her gaze fell to the pictures at her feet, and she let out a heavy sigh.

"Better get these back to the others."

* * *

Shuurei's camera and the stack of photos in tow, Maxx made her way back to the Usual Spot where her friends were waiting.

Nyaru smiled at her as she came in from behind the curtain. "You're back," she lilted.

"Thanks for waiting," Maxx replied, handing Shuurei her camera as she welcomed her with a hug around her arm.

"So you found everything?" Corr asked as Maxx walked up to where he was seated. She nodded as he picked up the photo on top of the pile in her hands. "It's you and Cheni, outside the ice cream shop."

"That was the day she opened," Maxx responded. "I bought the very first sea salt ice cream, so we got our picture taken together."

Nyaru peered at the picture over Corr's shoulder. "It's a good photo."

"Oh!" Shuurei exclaimed. "Nyaru, you said photo!"

"What can you tell us about the thief," Corr queried.

"Not much," Maxx admitted. "I got to the gate outside the old beach house, and found the pictures lying there."

"Then how do we prove we didn't take them?" Corr frowned.

Maxx snickered. "I'll return them on my way home. Don't worry Corr, it'll be fine."

Shuurei picked up the next few photos, looking over them thoughtfully. "Hey, did you guys notice all these pictures are of Maxx?"

"Hmm, I suppose that's why everyone thought we took them." Nyaru mused, also grabbing a few pictures from the stack.

"And Tseng wasn't spreading rumors about us after all..." Corr added begrudgingly.

Maxx fanned through the remaining pictures in her hands like a flip book. "They're really all of me?"

"Sure are," Shuurei replied, holding up another photo with Maxx on it.

"See?" Nyaru said, showing her yet another.

"Every last one," Shuurei chirped, handing back the photos. "Maybe the thief was trying to steal the real Maxx."

"Oh please," Corr grinned. "Why would anyone want to steal Maxx? They'd have to put up with her if they did."

"Gee, thanks Corr," Maxx chided with a snicker.

As the four laughed amongst themselves, the evening toll of the ferry station clock tower began to ring. They glanced up through the iron grate on the ceiling to the sky, where the sun was just beginning to set.

"I guess I should head home," Shuurei said. "It'll be dark soon."

Nyaru nodded. "Let's go together."

"You go ahead. I'll lock up," Maxx told them. "I have to pack my bag and get my rollerblades on."

"See you tomorrow," Nyaru said with a wave, and followed Corr and Shuurei out to the street.

After packing her uniform and slipping into her skates, Maxx headed outside, locking the gate to the Usual Spot behind her. She squinted as she made her way to the main road. The setting sun was blinding, it's rays peeking through the gaps in the buildings. Maxx lifted a hand, shielding her eyes. As she shut them tight, a smooth voice rang in her head.

_Where am I?_

"Huh?" Maxx gasped.

_Who are you...?_

* * *

The whirs and blips of piles of computer parts filled the cold metal room. Seated before a mural of blinking monitors, a figure heavily robed in red and black slammed their fist onto the keyboard before them.

"Mindless Nobodies..." he grimaced, "they hacked into the system."

A few taps of the keys brought up new displays on one of the screens.

"Through the beach," he said thoughtfully. "Best to avoid any in the future."

He held a hand to his chin. "Stealing photographs must mean the Dusks cannot distinguish differences in the data."

Leaning back in his chair, he held a palm to his clothed face. "Time is running out. Naminé must find him soon..."

* * *

_"Uhh... Where am I?"_

_"What happened to my home? My island?"_

_"Riku! Kai-"  
_

_"Who are you?"  
_

_"They will come at you out of nowhere, as long as you continue to wield the Keyblade."  
_

_"Hey, why don't you come with us? We can go to other worlds on our vessel"._

_"Sora, go with them. Especially if you want to find your friends."_

_"Donald Duck."_

_"Name's Goofy."_

_"I'm Sora. I'll go with you guys."_

_"The Heartless have great fear of the Keyblade."_

_"That's right. The Keyblade."_

_"So... this is the key?"_

_"But the boy is a problem. He found one of the Keyholes."_

_"Where... am I?"_

_"Sora! Kai-"_

With a gasp, Maxx's eyes snapped open, her body flinging forward as the screaming voice in her dream woke her. Panting, she wiped the cold sweat from her clammy forehead with the back of her palm. She leaned back on her free arm, staring at her bare feet.

"A key...?" she murmured, flexing her toes.

Peering out her open window as the morning toll pealed into her room, she scrunched her face in agony at the thought of getting out of bed to go to school. Her strange, nightly dreams had been making her sleep anything but restful, and she felt exhausted.

"Only five days left," she assured herself. She dragged her heavy limbs off her mattress and went to change, grabbing her uniform off the back of her desk chair as she passed it.

_\- The 2nd Day -_

After the day's classes, skates, homework, and street clothes in tow, Maxx paced slowly toward the Usual Spot. Her mind had been on her dreams all day, lulling her into a habit driven daze. She stopped just outside the gate, staring into space.

"A key..." she said softly. "A keyblade."

To her left, Maxx saw a small stick leaning against a wall. She picked it up and swung it a few times, imitating swordplay. The sword she had used to defeat the creature yesterday was no keyblade. She was sure of that.

"But it was in my dream," she reminded herself. "It must mean something."

She frowned thoughtfully, tapping the stick on her chin. "Ah, forget it," she huffed, tossing the branch over her head.

Behind her, Maxx heard the sound of a muffled thud before the stick hit the ground. She turned around to see a tall someone in a long black coat, her stick at their feet, where it had fallen after it hit their shoulder.

"Oh, sorry. I didn't see... you..." Maxx's apology trailed off as the cloaked figure turned their back to her and walked away down the street. Perplexed, she bit her lip, and headed into the Usual Spot once again.

Inside, she found her friends all eating sea salt ice cream. Corr held an extra out to her as she dropped her items to the floor.

"Thanks," she smiled, taking the treat from him. Still in her school uniform, she plunked herself onto her sitting box, not bothering to change before she ate her ice cream.

Shuurei shifted on the small crate she was sitting on. "Hey everyone? Do you think we'll always be together like this?"

Nyaru smiled at her. "I hope so."

"Why do you ask?" Corr queried.

"Um, just a thought," Shuurei hummed.

"Well, nothing lasts forever," Corr noted. "Everyone grows up, and moves on to other things in their lives. Being together isn't really what's important anyway. What matters is that we remember the time we did spend together. As long as we think about each other, the friendship will remain."

Shuurei giggled. "Corr's been reading his horoscope before school," she said to the girls to her left.

Corr frowned at her. "Teasers don't get ice cream, Shuurei." He sighed as he bit off the last chunk of his snack. "Anyway, more pressing issues need our attention right now."

"Issues?" Nyaru furrowed her brow wonderingly as Corr threw away his stick.

Reaching into his pocket, Corr pulled out folded purple pamphlet. "They put out the vendor list for the Dusk Blossom Festival today at school. We need to decide what we're going to get. We need to buy our ferry tickets today too."

Nyaru, Shuurei, and Maxx stared at him, with no reply.

Corr slumped his shoulders. "What?"

"Corr, we're broke," Maxx pointed out. "You bought us a new blanket and tarp to sit on."

"Maxx and I got new yukata," Shuurei added.

"And I paid for the stuff to make packed dinners," Nyaru reminded.

"We were going to beg our parents to buy our ferry tickets as an end of term gift," Maxx told him.

Corr jumped from his seat and headed for the door. "That's why we go look at the odd job posts in the harbor market. Come on."

Sighing, Maxx shed her dark blue blazer as Nyaru and Shuurei followed Corr outside. "Why me?" she moaned, plopping down onto the old green couch. She pulled off her black leather shoes, long white socks and grey sweater vest, and placed them on the cushion next her. Yanking off her black tie, she stood, undid the buttons on her white dress shirt, and opened the zipper on the side of her black pleated skirt. In nothing but her striped undershirt and small, clinging athletic shorts, Maxx shivered as the air hit her skin. She practically jumped into her navy blue shorts, and she saw Shuurei return as she shrugged her cream hooded vest over her head.

"Come on, Maxx," Shuurei urged. "We're waiting for you."

"I know, I'm coming," Maxx grunted. She slipped her feet into her gray and red sneakers, chasing after Shuurei as she went to meet the others.

Outside, Nyaru and Corr were looking over a poster promoting the school district's annual Dueling Club competition. Maxx and Corr were both members, and eager for the tournament to begin.

"Only two more days," Corr said to her, his voice alive with excitement. "We have to make it to the finals, Maxx. Then we can split the prize between the four of us, no matter who wins."

Maxx smirked confidently. "Challenge accepted. I'll try to go easy on you."

"You guys are going to do awesome," Shuurei declared.

"Let 'em have it," Nyaru grinned.

"It's a deal." Corr placed his hand on Maxx's head, squeezing it gently and ruffling her hair. Even though Maxx was the oldest of the group, she was quite short, only slightly taller than Shuurei. At first, Corr had taken to patting Maxx head to bother her about her lack of height, but eventually is became a sign of endearment. A personal symbol of friendship the two of them shared.

"Now, on to business," Corr instructed, crossing his arms. "One ferry ticket to beach where the festival is is 900 munny."

"That's 3600 munny for all four of us," Nyaru replied.

"Plus 300 munny each to spend at the vendors," Corr added. "4800 munny total. What do have now?"

"I've got 800," Shuurei answered.

Nyaru pulled her homemade coin pouch out of her pocket and checked inside. "I have 650."

Maxx reached into her vest and pulled out a small handful of the pastel coloured orbs. "All I have is 150. Sorry guys..."

"1600 altogether," Shuurei commented. "3200 to go."

Corr tipped his head thoughtfully. "800 each. Let's go check out the board and try to earn it all before the day is over."

As he took off toward the market square, Nyaru following, Maxx leaned over to Shuurei.

"I thought he said he had it taken care of."

Shuurei shrugged. "That's okay. I want to scoop for goldfish at the festival."

Maxx huffed some strands of hair out of her face. "Guess we better catch up quick then, before they take the easy jobs."

Laughing, Shuurei dashed after her friends, Maxx close behind.

"Nyaru! Corr! Wait up!"

* * *

"Gah!"

Maxx groaned impatiently, slapping what felt like the millionth poster onto a shop window. She had gone on her skates to make the process quicker, but the tall pile of posters in her arm was heavy, and she was running of places she could think to hang them.

Dropping the papers next to her feet, Maxx closed her eyes and leaned against the brickwork wall of the building before her.

"Maxx!"

She slowly opened one eye as she heard her name being called. "Oh, hey Nyaru," she greeted as her friend ran up to her. "Did you make your 800 yet?"

Nyaru patted the brown canvas bag slung over her shoulder. "I certainly did. I delivered a bunch of letters. Shuurei is running packages around town. Poor Corr got stuck cleaning up a junk pile. How about you?"

Maxx pointed to the blue posters at her feet. "Pretty obvious, isn't it?"

"Oh, so you were the one hanging those..." Nyaru hummed.

"I wonder if I put enough up to go collect my pay," Maxx mused.

Nyaru looked down the street, each building a mural of blue rectangles. "I don't think you have to worry about that," she laughed.

Grinning, Maxx picked up the last of the posters. "Let's go cash in!"

* * *

"Everyone here?" Corr asked, handing over the money he and Shuurei had earned to Nyaru as she and Maxx joined them outside the ferry station.

"How did you guys do?" Shuurei asked.

Maxx pulled what she had earned out of her vest pocket. "Here's what I got."

Nyaru held out her pouch and opened the top, letting Maxx dump in her share. Peering inside, she quickly counted the munny inside. "Good job everyone," she smiled, pulling the bag closed by its drawstrings. "5000 munny total. We're all set."

"Right on," Corr praised.

Nyaru handed Maxx the full bag. "Let's go get our tickets."

Standing next to Maxx, Corr watched Shuurei and Nyaru head inside. "We won't always be together..." he murmured, "...so we need to make the most of the time we have."

"What does that mean?" Maxx quipped.

"Oh, take a joke short-stuff," Corr teased, messing the hair on her head before her took after the other girls.

Chuckling, Maxx chased after him. Before she reached the steps to the entrance, something unseen tripped her at the ankles. She toppled to the rough ground, scraping her forearms and hitting her chin hard. "Ow..." she moaned, rubbing her swelling face. She noticed a pair of black shoes next to her, and looked up, seeing the hooded figure she had pelted with the stick earlier that day. "You..."

She grunted as they grabbed her by the arm and pulled her roughly to her feet. She blinked in surprise as an older, familiar voice whispered to her.

"What...?"

"Maxx!"

She glanced over to Corr when she heard him call her name.

"Hurry!" he hollered. "The ticket counter is closing!"

Maxx nodded. She moved to tug her arm out of the grasp of the faceless stranger, only to find they were gone. Frowning, she dashed up the steps and through the glass doors into the station. Corr was leaning on the ticket counter.

"Four students," he requested. "For the night of the festival."

"Pay up Maxx," Shuurei chirped.

Maxx plunged her hand into her pants pocket to grab the bag of munny. When she felt nothing, her face became panicked. "Oh no..." she blurted, desperately patting down all her pockets. "It's gone..."

"What do you mean, 'gone'?" Corr pressed.

Maxx ceased her search and snapped her head over her shoulder, glaring outside where she had fell.

"He took it," she seethed, moving toward the doors.

"Wait!" Nyaru protested. "Where are you going?"

"I had the money before I fell," Maxx insisted. "I bet the guy who tripped me took it."

Corr looked at her strangely, confused. "Guy?"

"We can still catch him!" Maxx urged. When she heard no footsteps following her, she looked to her friends, who were watching her with odd expressions. "What's wrong?"

"What are you talking about?" Corr frowned. "There was no one but you."

Maxx furrowed her brow, fazed. "Huh?"

"Sorry kids," the ticket vendor hollered. "We're closed."

Shuurei sighed in defeat and the lock on the ticket window clicked shut. "Aw man..."

Maxx fidgeted her hands as her friends passed her by to head outside.

"There was no one there...?"

* * *

Seated in front of the clock high on the station tower, Maxx's ice cream lay in her hand, untouched, dripping melted blue cream to the ground below. Her thoughts consumed her mind, and she certainly couldn't focus on ice cream.

"It's melting," Nyaru crooned, snapping Maxx out of her daze.

She looked to her friends as they watched the sunset, filled with regret. "I... I'm sorry..."

"Stop worrying," Corr told her.

"That sure was strange, though," Shuurei mused.

"Yeah, definitely," Nyaru agreed.

Maxx's gaze fell back to the ice cream in her hands, recalling the voice that had whispered to her.

' _Not yet. In time...'_

* * *

Illuminated by the blue-green glare of the screens before him, the red cloaked figure lounged back in his chair, juggling a small cloth sac in his left hand.

"My apologies," he lilted, "but the time is not here quite yet."

With the tap of a single button, the pouch disappeared in a swirl of glowing shapes.

"Soon, my dear. Soon..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So folks, I'm going to take time at the bottom of each chapter to talk a little about the story, and what was going through my head as I was writing it. A lot of thought and planning goes into every chapter, and I figured you may get a little more out of the story if I shared some of it with you.
> 
> My goal through this whole story is going to be defining character. I've been working with these characters for years now in different ways, and I have a great attachment to all of them. My hope is that by the end of this story, you will have the same connection I do, and that you know them so well they feel like old friends.
> 
> This chapter in particular, and in the next couple to come, I wanted to give a real sense of the setting. Sunset Isle really is a character in itself. I was concerned it would project itself as an exact copy of Twilight Town. While there are intentional similarities, it is still an original setting. I took my inspiration for most of it from old Atlantic fishing towns, where everything revolves around the sea and what it provides.
> 
> It's going to be a long, emotional journey, and I'm very excited to have many people along for the ride. I hope you enjoy it as much as I know I will.
> 
> Comments are much appreciated guys.
> 
> Till next we post!
> 
> Au revoir!  
> Sayonara!  
> Buenos noches!


	2. The Awakening

" _As the key bearer, you must already know one must not meddle in the affairs of other worlds."_

" _So many places I want to see... I know I'll get there someday."_

" _Thus, I do hereby dub thee junior heroes."_

" _Hey! What do you mean 'junior heroes'?"_

" _You rookies still don't understand what it takes to be a true hero."_

" _I... I wish... for your freedom, Genie."_

" _Al!"_

" _Sally, why didn't I listen to you?"_

_"Don't feel bad, Jack. We'll come up with another plan for Halloween. Next time, we'll do it together."_

" _Power!"_

" _I am Mushu."_

" _Or are you too cool to play them now that you have the Keyblade?"_

" _Riku! What are you doing here?"_

" _Did you find her?"_

" _I still can't believe it. I really flew. Wait 'til I tell Kairi."_

" _I wonder if she'll believe me. Probably not."_

" _I'm searching, too."_

" _For your light? Don't lose sight of it."_

" _Sora, where are you going?"_

" _I'm gonna go look for my friends. They're waiting for me."_

" _Where are Donald and Goofy?"_

" _Instead of worrying about them, you should be asking about her..."_

"Uh..."

Maxx groaned, blinking open her sleepy eyes as she began to stir. Weakly, she lifted her hand to her brow, placing her hot, sweaty palm on her forehead. Beads of cold perspiration smeared down her cheeks as she dragged her hand down, strands of golden hair sticking to her temples as she did. She took in a long, deep breath and sat herself up, shaking her hair loose with her hands.

A faint noise from the opposite corner of her room reached her. She turned her head to check what it had come from and was taken aback when she saw nothing.

Maxx's face screwed into a defeated expression and she flopped back down to her bed, slamming a pillow over her face to muffle the string of shouts and profanities she released soon after. When she had finished, she pushed the pillow off her mouth and nose to breathe.

"How long is this going to go on?" she whimpered.

Knowing she would have to get up eventually, she flung the pillow violently at the opposite end of her bed, snatched up her uniform, and stomped to her bathroom to brush her teeth.

_\- The 3rd Day -_

The Usual Spot was empty as Maxx entered, save for a note lying on the seat of the sofa. The brittle paper crinkled between her fingers as she picked it up and read it aloud.

"Come meet us at the ferry station. We're going to buy our tickets and pick which vendors to visit.

\- Corr

PS: Don't worry about yesterday."

Maxx hung her head and let out a long, heavy sigh, none too happy with being reminded of the events that had come to pass the day before. Not even bothering to change out of her uniform, she dropped the note to the floor and hurried outside.

* * *

Pacing through the market square, Maxx gave a small wave to Nyaru and Shuurei as they approached.

"Hey there," she greeted from the top of a set of stairs.

"Good afternoon," Nyaru replied.

They moved to climb the staircase when Maxx heard a strange, warped sound fill the air. Shuurei and Nyaru had stopped mid-step, completely frozen in time, but other than that they seemed fine.

"Guys!" Maxx cried, rushing to her friends. A girl is white suddenly appeared in her path and Maxx fell back hard on to the stairs to avoid hitting her.

"Hello Maxx," she smiled.

Maxx grimaced as she picked herself up, annoyed. Her friends were periled and this girl, whoever she was, didn't seem to concern herself. "Who are you?"

"I wanted to meet you," the girl told her.

"Uh... Me?" Maxx blinked.

"Yes." The girl in white nodded and without another word she headed down the steps, past Nyaru and Shuurei, and disappeared around the corner. Once out of sight, Nyaru and Shuurei came back to their senses once again, as if nothing had happened.

"Nyaru and I are going to pick out a new yukata for her," Shuurei explained.

"Care to join us?" Nyaru offered.

Maxx was staring in the direction the strange girl had gone. "Did you guys see..." She trailed off.

"She beating around the bush," Shuurei sighed.

"As you wish," Nyaru stated. "We'll see you later Maxx."

"Um..." Maxx could only stammer as she watched her friends leave, headed toward the shops at the other end of the square. She glanced toward the forest. "Did she head to the old beach house?"

Maxx jogged quickly to the entrance to the woods where she saw the blonde girl enter the forest. She followed her in, but had lost sight of her by the time she had cleared her way through the brush and into the trees. She sighed, defeated, leaning on her knees as she caught her breath.

A black, misty emptiness that formed before her caused Maxx to choked on her own panting breath. As she backed away, three of the strange grey creatures like the one seen two days ago crawled out of the darkness. One hovered in the air above Maxx's head and grabbed at her hand.

"Let go!" she cried. She swatted the oddity away and sprinted out of the forest. As she ran, Maxx heard them following her all the way to the training grounds. She ignored Tseng, Elena, Reno and Cait Sith as she ran past them.

"Hey, weakling!" Tseng called.

As Maxx skidded to a halt, her pursuers caught up to her.

"Who are they?" Elena questioned.

"Not sure," Tseng replied, "but they're out of bounds." He looked to Maxx, ready to fight. "Find a weapon," he ordered.

A shinai lay on the ground a few feet to Maxx's left. Rolling along the earth, she quickly closed the distance between her and it and took it into her grasp as she hopped back to her feet. She recalled her fruitless efforts the other day when she tried to fight one of the creatures with a shinai. Regardless, she took a heavy swing at the closest one. As before, nothing happened, and the being countered back hard, throwing Maxx to the ground.

"This is bad...," she mused. She lifted herself, only to find Tseng and his friends completely frozen, just as Shuurei and Nyaru had been earlier. The white creatures circled them with their odd, dance-like movements. When they began to move in her direction, she searched desperately for a way to escape.

"Maxx!"

From one of the upper balconies, Maxx saw the girl in white calling to her.

"Look out!" she warned.

In a blur of white, one of the creatures charged at Maxx's head. She instinctively crossed her arms in front of her, bracing herself to be knocked back a second time. No impact came, and instead the noise of the commotion and warmth of the setting sun fell away, leaving behind silence and cold.

Slowly, Maxx lowered her hands and blinked open her eyes. Every sign of Sunset Isle was gone. Never-ending darkness surrounded her, with a ghostly sounding gale that could be heard from every angle. She glanced down, first noticing her uniform gone, and her normal clothes in its place. Bright colours beneath her shoe caught her eye. Under her feet was a round, intricate mural adorned with faces, all of which she could recognize from her dreams. She paced over the circle, naming off each person aloud as she walked over them.

"Sora, Donald, Goofy..."

Maxx peered down at the faces that had tormented her night after night with a cold, livid stare. As she did, a familiar warmth tingled in her right hand and the sword she had used two days ago appeared in her grasp in a glowing flash.

The grey beings that had followed her earlier had idled around her at the edge of the circle and even though there were no eyes to been seen, Maxx knew they had been watching her. Sword now in hand, they swam through the air, closing in on her. With one wide swing she took out two in front of her and spun around, bringing her blade down hard through the head of the final one. The tip hit the ground with a loud clash, and disappeared in it's familiar glow.

Her adrenaline surging, Maxx drew in long, deep breaths to calm herself. As her chest heaved, a bodiless voice emanated through her mind.

_So much to do, so little time..._

_Step forward. Can you do it?_

Lifting her head, she watched as beams of cerulean light came from the floor, revealing an intricately patterned door. The voice spoke again.

_Be careful. Beyond that door lies a completely different world. But don't be afraid._

Her options slim, Maxx picked herself up and stood before the double doors. Taking hold of the large silver handles, she pushed them open with one hard shove.

_Don't stop walking..._

Beyond the door, she found herself on another round platform. Ahead of her were two more, one green, one red, each one taller than the next, with stained glass stairs rising and connecting all three. Maxx hastily made her way up and across the pathway set out, coming to another door at the end of the red platform. She pushed it open and walked through, this time with little hesitation. Once through, she was again on a lone dais, no steps, no higher points in sight. Even the door she came through had gone when she turned to look for it. Her feet dragged as she paced slowly forward, gazing up at the empty blackness.

A thud from behind her pierced the deafening silence. From over her shoulder, Maxx was sure she saw the person in the black jacket that tripped her.

Her suspicion became less concerning when a large grey head came into view from behind the huge pillar she stood on. Blue, scarf-like tendrils flew away from behind its neck. It had wide pointed shoulders and appendages, and a tiny waist fronted by a thick zipper.

It pulled itself up onto the mural, crawling like a wounded animal. As it planted its feet firmly onto the glass floor, Maxx thoughtlessly turned her back to it and began to run. Stumbling at the edge of the platform, she waivered dangerously over the bottomless darkness surrounding the pillar.

An eerie chill crawled up her spine. Maxx turned slowly to face the behemoth just as it lifted itself to it's feet. It towered over her small form, faceless head angled down, like it was watching her.

"Come on..." she murmured, tensing her right hand. Up to that moment, the strange weapon able to defeat the mysterious creatures had come to Maxx by surprise each time. This time, however, and confident grin spread across her face when it appeared of her own will.

The grey behemoth had yet to make any move at her. Maxx readied herself to strike first, but found herself halted in her tracks by a strange sensation in her chest. As it progressed from shivering, to warm, to searing, Maxx faltered to one knee and her vision turned white.

As relief washed though her and the heat subsided, she blinked her sight back into focus. As her vision returned, it fell to her hands. Her wrists were crossed, bound together and in place by a mass of mist-like grey matter, with her palms pressed on the ground. Her sword was still held tightly in her grip. A quick glanced revealed the large foe to be gone, or, more likely, out of sight. Her focus shifted back to her restraints, which she wriggled and squirmed against to no avail.

A disturbance in the empty space preemptively foreshadowed the return of the mammoth adversary, which came twisting out of the darkness. Maxx intensified her struggles as it flowed up to her, crouching it's head so close to her it's pseudo-face nearly touched the tip of her nose. It's head cocked slightly, as if it were studying her, and for a moment the girl's panic subsided in place of puzzlement. The relief was short lived, when only moments later a giant appendage was drawn as far back as it seemed able to, readying for a powerful swat at her. Summoning every iota of will and strength she could muster, Maxx snapped free of her bonds and stumbled quickly backwards. A gust swept over her as the creature's fist missed her by a fraction.

It's reaction to her escape was rapid, as it was able to clamp both mitten-like hands around the blonde before her balance could be regained. Without even and instant of pause for consideration, it flung her into the air, higher than Maxx knew her unbroken bones would appreciate if she landed incorrectly. A impression of weightlessness swam through her before gravity began to pull her back. A quick midair contortion had her falling headfirst at the enemy directly below her. In a flash of reflexes, she landed a hard blow squarely in the middle of the symbol on it's head. The friction of her weapon hitting the surface to slowed her fall and allowed her to land her feet in it's chin. The force of the hit She had inflicted had sent the being reeling forward, in an almost theatric fashion as it failed it's arms and neck. Maxx preserved her center of balancing, countering the forward momentum by crawling toward the back of the head and leaping the to the glass floor as it toppled to the ground, landing hard with a loud crash on it's chest behind her.

Maxx turned toward it's landing spot with just enough time to watch the creature slid off the edge of a pillar like a live fish off a dock.

As the space around her fell deathly quiet, Maxx shuffled her feet to accommodated her darting gaze, inspecting every angle around her. She knew the battle wasn't over. She could feel the air the air buzz, like a sixth sense detecting the malevolent presence.

A sudden lurch rose from her stomach, and promptly she realized the pillar on which she stood was being rapidly tipped over. As her feet slid from under her, she clawed desperately at the glass surface, attempting to stop herself from plummeting into the darkness below her. With only inches to spare, her fingers caught the welded edge of the glass mural. Dangling over the vast emptiness, she saw the grey enemy before her, suspended to the platform, it's bowed legs wrapped around it's circular perimeter. Over it's head, it held a colossal glowing orb. With her focus on the adversary and it's intimidating projectile, the sudden jerk of the dais caught Maxx of guard. Her grip slipped loose, and the noise around her hummed, dulled by the blood pounding her ears. As she shut her eyes, a momentary sensation of weightless overcame her. The world around her seemed to slow. A wave of energy passed over her as the sparking sphere was hurled at her tiny form. The instant the heat of the orb tingled Maxx's eyelashes, her eyes snapped open. A full sweep of her sword passed through it's core, detonating it into a violent burst of light.

As the glare dimmed, the pillar appeared to have righted it's angle, as Maxx was now falling head first toward the decorated surface. She managed to turn herself upright mid-descent, and her knees bent under the force of her weight as she landed feet-first on the mural. A yelp escaped her as the corpse fell from the air before her, defeated by the explosion. The ground rumbled and shook under the impact, toppling her back and landing her on her hip and forearms. Her sword had disappeared, which made her uneasy even as the cadaver began to dissipate into a cloud of black and blue steam. The darkness spread across the floor in curling tendrils, hissing and sending gusts of piercing cold onto Maxx. She shimmied across the glowing glass away from the dark matter, and kicked desperately as it took hold of her foot and began to crawl up her leg. Swiftly and suddenly, the darkness entwined all but her head and possessed every inch of space around her. The stained glasses had vanished from her sights. Only the chill and blinding view of blackness remained. The matter seemed to sap energy at an alarming rate, as Maxx quickly felt her eyelids heavy and limbs grow numb. As her eyes closed, she felt her breath grow shallow and her pulse slow, and soon weakly reaching out her hand was the only movement she could muster.

A warmth surrounded the wrist of her extended arm. Maxx could feel it's tingle spread across her body. Light shone red through her eyelids, and she felt her strength return as solid ground came in contact with her feet.

After blinking her blurry vision back into focus, Maxx found herself in a stark room. The girl in white, whom she had met earlier that day, had seated herself above on a platform. Before Maxx could utter any of the displeasure she felt, the girl spoke first.

"Maxx, my name is Naminé," she explained.

Maxx raised an eyebrow. "Naminé?"

As if from nowhere, the familiar sight of the man in the dark coat approached Naminé, pulling her up by the arm.

"Naminé, that's enough," he told her.

"But DiZ," she protested, "Maxx needs to know, or she'll-"

"There is nothing she needs to know," he cut in.

Maxx glared at the man Naminé had in his grasp. "Hey!" she hollered, stamping her foot and gesturing at him accusingly. "You're the pickpocket who stole my money!"

With a wave of his hand, a dark swirling void appeared at the accusing girl's back. Facing it, Maxx inched away nervously. She jumped when she felt DiZ grab her by the collar of her vest.

"Stay home," he stated, and flung her into the portal.

* * *

"Strike a pose, Tseng."

The sound of Reno's voice reached Maxx's consciousness as she came to. Groaning painfully, she lifted herself off the ground and ran a hand over her head, shaking the dirt out of her hair. Her jaw dropped when she saw Elena snapping pictures of Tseng with Shuurei's camera.

"You've got some nerve," she snapped, snatching the camera out of Elena's grasp. "What're these for?"

"Mementos," Elena chided.

"The creeps in white are gone," Reno added.

"No contest," Elena smirked.

Maxx glowered, smacking dust off her skirt. "What were they?"

"No one from around here," Tseng stated. "That's all I need to know."

"Tseng'll show 'em who's boss," Reno grinned.

Footsteps came from the stairway leading into the training grounds. Maxx blinked in surprise as Corr, Nyaru, and Shuurei entered. Her posture slumped as Corr frowned at her standing with Tseng and the others.

"Huh," he huffed shortly, and turned his back to her, making his way back up the stairs, Shuurei and Nyaru close behind.

"Hey, wait!" Maxx called, taking off after them. She heard Tseng call to her as she ran after her friends.

"No backing out of the tournament tomorrow!"

* * *

In the Usual Spot, Maxx found her friends seated and eating ice cream. Corr glanced at her, still frowning.

"So you hung with Tseng today, did you?"

"What!" Maxx snapped. "No, of course not!" She rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly, her expression somber. "Um, how did you guys make out with the plans. Did you get tickets... or pick some vendors?"

"We didn't want to plan anything without you," Nyaru said solemnly.

Maxx sighed. "I'm sorry... How about we get it done tomorrow?"

"I have to be somewhere," Corr blurted.

Maxx hung her head. She couldn't recall Corr being this upset with her ever. She hoped he would forgive her by the time the festival came. She simply couldn't have any fun with him feeling the way he did now.

"I made a deal," he stated.

"Oh!" Maxx gasped, recalling that the competition was tomorrow.

Corr scowled, and threw away his empty stick.

"I'm out," he grumbled, and traipsed toward the exit, Maxx staring forlornly at her feet as he passed her.

* * *

_"It's up to me. Only the Keyblade master can open the secret door and change the world."_

_"But I'm not gonna betray Sora, either."_

_"All for one and one for all."_

_"My friends are my power!"_

_"So, your heart won this battle."_

_"It is I, Ansem. Lead me into everlasting darkness!"_

_"Sora!"_

_"Forget it! There's no way you're taking Kairi's heart!"_

_"Kairi."_

_"We may never meet again, but we'll never forget each other."_

_"No matter where we are, our hearts will bring us together again."_

_"Take this. It's my lucky charm. Be sure to bring it back to me."_

_"Don't worry. I will."_

_"Promise."_

_"Don't ever forget. Wherever you go, I'm always with you."_

As she woke, Maxx's sights fell on her shinai leaning on the edge of her bed. Rubbing a stir into her eyes, she reached over and took hold of it by the scabbard below the guard. Holding it over her head at arm's length, it's red shoulder sling dangled over her eyes. "Promise huh..." she mumbled, recalling both her dream and the deal Corr had made with her two days ago. They had both said they would give it their all, but the days past had eroded her confidence. She wasn't sure she had it in her to duel at all, let alone attempt to win.

A small sigh escaped her as she hugged the shinai to her chest. A defeated grimace curved her lips as she glanced over at her club uniform, slung over the chair where her school attire usually laid. Seeing it, and recalling the exhausting schedule of the day ahead, she groaned.

"Uhg..."

_\- The 4th Day -_

The morning was warm and dry as Maxx sat on the team bench, changing her shoes. Classes had been let out for the day to allow the students watch and cheer on the final matches, and the training grounds had been converted into a pseudo stadium for the event. In the center was a raised platform where the matches would be held, with bleachers set up around three sides of it. The open side had reserved seats for the finalists, judges, and other officials. It wasn't often the grounds contained so many people. It was noisy, and hurt Maxx's already pounding head. The pain made her grimace as she fitted her headgear around the ponytail she had tied at the back of her neck.

At the opposite end of the bench she sat on was Corr. He hadn't greeted her when she arrived that morning, and not a word after. Now he sat, his eyes stern in concentration as her checked the ties on his shinai. Maxx wasn't sure if he was still upset with her, and she was being ignored as a result, or if he was simply as focused as usual. Corr had always taken the dueling club very seriously. He had been named team captain at the beginning of the year, and ever since the yellow letter 'C' adorned his shirt, embroidered above the school crest, his dedication had increased even more so.

Maxx exhibited little surprise when she saw Tseng seated on the bench across from her's. While not possessing the level of refinement Corr did, he was still a regular finalist. The sight of Cait Sith, however, did take Maxx aback. She hadn't realized the feline was even on the team until she saw her name added to the roster a short time ago, and she certainly had no idea Cait Sith had the skill to place in the final four spots of the tournament.

In the crowded stands Nyaru and Shuurei sat amongst their classmates, including Reno and Elena two rows below. The younger girl bounced erratically in her seat.

"Settle down," Nyaru laughed, attempting to hold her friend down by the shoulder.

"I can't help it," Shuurei replied. "It's so exciting!" Her attention turned to the stage as a suited figure stepped into the middle. "It's starting!"

The headmaster held out his hands as he addressed the crowd. "Duel fans! Students of Sunset Isle! The event you have all been waiting for has finally arrived. Your duel club members have competed valiantly all year. Now your top four members will battle for the championship title!"

"Go Tseng!" Elena cheered.

"All your skilled finalists have undoubtedly earned their place here today, but only one will rise to the top. Only the best will duel our reigning winner, and only the final victor will hoist the championship prize!"

"C'mon you two!" Shuurei called.

"You can do it!" Nyaru chimed.

The excited cheering of the crowd rose as the dueling club's head coach took the headmaster's place on stage. "Everyone, I am thrilled to introduce today's finalists! The four duelers who swept the preliminaries!"

As per instructions provided earlier, the four stepped up onto the platform in an even line, facing the crowd as they stood behind their coach. Maxx anxiously scanned the sea of faces, feeling even smaller than usual surrounded by so many people.

"A usual face in the finals, and leader of the Sunset Isle Disciplinary Committee; Tseng!"

As his name was called, Tseng's arm shot up, holding his shinai confidently over his head.

"The club's newest member! No one would have imagined she'd make it to the final rounds with such a short membership, but here she is; Cait Sith!

In spite of the applaud that rose when her name was called, Cait Sith remained stoic.

"The club's fastest rising star, making her first trips to the finals; Maxx!"

While still in a half-hearted mood, Maxx gave the crowd a small wave. She knew how much all her peers looked forward to the tournament, and didn't want to bring them down with her.

"And last, but certainly not least, your new team captain; Corr!"

Maxx glanced over at her friend, who she saw smiling for the first time as he engaged the crowd.

"Matchup draws were made before the contestants' arrival this morning. Contestants will meet at the scoreboard to receive their placements."

The roar of cheers at their back, the four competitors headed to the empty display where a vested official waited, clipboard in hand.

"The draw paired Corr and Maxx to duel first," she informed, "followed by Tseng and Cait Sith." With a quick glance at her papers, she looked to captain and his friend. "You can head up right away."

Corr turned heel and did so without a word. Maxx followed taking deep breaths and exhaling slowly. On a normal occasion, she would have been concerned. Corr was the only person she had never beaten. Today, however, she relished the thought of only participating in one match. She knew her tired body and aching head would be grateful.

The head coach stood between the teammates as they took their place on the platform, facing each other. Maxx stared at Corr expectantly as his shinai was handed to him.

"Good luck," the coach encouraged, offering Maxx her weapon and clamping a firm pat on her shoulder.

"Thanks coach," she murmured, still watching Corr as his gaze finally met hers. "I'm sorry," she stated to him shortly.

A charming, sly smile slowly slinked across his face, a swagger in his shoulders. "For what?" he feigned.

Maxx chuckled half-heartedly, glad she was still in his good graces. "So much has been going on… I'm worn out."

He sighed, his expression turning sincere. "We want to help, you know…" he reminded.

"Yeah…" she smiled. "Thanks."

"Don't think I'm going to go easy on you, though," he smirked, coyly taking his stance. Slowly, Maxx emulated him, placing both hands around the hilt of her weapon and sliding back her left foot, anchoring herself in place. She inhaled deeply, focusing on slowing her breath to an even pace.

"Duel!"

The shout of the referee, and the flash of his red flag sent Maxx hurling from her meditative state into one of coursing adrenaline. Her eyebrows drew together in her focus, and she began to shift her weight back and forth, preparing momentum for her first maneuver. All the while, her sights remained trained on Corr. She was sure if she waited long enough, he would strike first.

Her patience was shortly rewarded. The crowd all drew in a short breath as Corr moved in, swinging for Maxx's shoulder, which she quickly blocked. He seemed to expect her retaliation, for as quickly as he had moved in he drew back and landed a clean jab to her collarbone. Maxx grunted under the force, but barely stumbled as she returned to her stance.

The scorekeeper promptly added a '1' to Corr's side of the scoreboard after getting the nod of approval from the judges, indicating the hit was clean.

That pattern seemed to repeat itself as the timer ticked down. The match appeared to be set as Corr's number steadily rose, while Maxx's remain stagnant. Despite her exhaustion, the young girl felt a foreign frustration begin to bubble in her stomach, one she didn't understand at all. Corr had beaten her time and time again, and she had never taken it negatively. Now there was an agitation eating away at her insides. Before she could comprehend it, it boiled over into full-fledged fury. Her body turned itself over to the mercy of her emotions. They pushed her into maneuvers she had never made in her life, and landed an overwhelming blow to the middle of Corr's chest.

He gasped, both from shock and the hit, and buckled to his knees. Maxx stood before him, stunned frozen in the same pose the strike had left her in. The crowd was pin-drop silent around them. The final seconds of the match counted down, and Corr shakily slid his shinai into the center of the ring, signifying uncle. As the final buzzer rang loud, the team captain collapsed nonchalantly to his side.

The clatter of Maxx's weapon falling from her grasp echoed through the training grounds. Her face twisted in distress, she dashed to her best friend's side.

"Corr," she whimpered, hugging his arm to her chest to help him back to his knees. "I'm so sorry. I don't know what happened."

As he lifted his head slightly, Maxx was caught off guard. Although clearly in pain, a wide grin laid spread across his face.

"I taught you well," he croaked, his wind still knocked out of him.

Maxx chuckled as she released the breath she had been holding, her face collapsing into a relieved smile. As she helped Corr to his feet, the anxious crowd that had been suppressing any reaction finally burst into cheering and applause. Surrounded by ovations, the winning duelist beamed up at her friend as he leaned into her grasp for support.

"Congrats," he murmured, still smiling. From the corner of his eye, he could see the head of the Disciplinary Committee looking most agitated and impatient. "I think our turn is up," he whispered to his makeshift crutch, nodding toward their antagonist.

"Better not keep him waiting," she smirked. She shrugged Corr's arm more securely into her grip, and headed for the stairs.

"The team captain throwing in the towel," Tseng taunted as he passed. "And to his protégé... Such a shame..."

"We'll see who's laughing when she knocks you out," Corr retorted.

Tseng, although appearing tempted, did not continue the spat. His opponent was already waiting for him. Maxx watched him point his shinai threateningly at Cait Sith as she helped Corr collapse onto one the benches. The feline simply stared blankly at the tip of the weapon and adjusted her silver crown.

Even high in the bleachers, Shuurei could sense the burning tension between the two opponents. Normally allies, they were now pitted against one another, a transition Tseng seemed to take to far too easily.

"That Tseng!" she grumbled loudly. "No loyalty, not even to his gofers!"

"Shhhh," Nyaru hushed her. "Elena will hear you."

"I hope she does!" the younger girl hollered, throwing about her fists. "Then I can knock her block off when she comes at me."

Maxx squirmed anxiously on the bench as she waiting for the match to begin. She had spent so many long hours of practice with everyone in the club, she almost always knew what to expect. But Cait Sith threw a wrench of unfamiliarity into the scene. Maxx had never seen her fight, and had no idea what she was capable of. She wondered with apprehensive anticipation exactly what Tseng, and possibly she, was up against.

Tseng did not seemed to share her unease, for he moved into his first string of attacks with overconfident haste the moment the referee's call and scarlet flag signaled the start.

Maxx's jawed dropped as each of Tseng's swings missed Cait Sith by leagues. Her prowess instantly became clear. Lithe and flash quick, she had no need to block. She simply skittered under and around Tseng's weapon whenever it got close. The tactic was quite ingenious. Even Corr looked impressed when Maxx glanced quickly over to him. As the counter drained ever closer to the end of the match, she wondered how Cait Sith planned on winning. The only way to earn points was to land strikes, and so far neither had. Maxx had never seen a draw before. She wasn't sure what happened when a duel ended with no score.

Tseng was continuing his onslaught of fruitless attacks, but it was clear to all in the training grounds he was now driven by frustration instead of arrogance. Cait Sith took full advantage of his sloppiness. As he arced into a particularly wide swing, she set a firm jab into his abdomen. Tseng keeled over from the impact, landing directly into a second stab she thrust into his shoulder. A final slam into the side of his headgear secured Cait Sith a solid three points, and the win. Tseng recovered to his feet just as the final buzzer sounded.

"Tseng!" Elena cried out in shock. The crowd of her peers murmured around her, all confused by what they had just witnessed.

Cait Sith nonchalantly nudged her tiara. She appeared neither thrilled for her victory, nor concerned for her leader. Wordlessly, she traipsed from the platform, leaving Tseng to wallow in his loss.

Soured from defeat, he descended the staircase, limping slightly as he held the shoulder his vanquisher had struck. He halted next to where Maxx and Corr sat, but did not look down.

"That… is not Cait Sith," he stated darkly, and promptly made for the exit of the grounds.

"Hey!" Maxx called, shooting up from her seat. "Where are you going?" she demanded, only to be ignored. Tseng stopped briefly to speak to one of the judges, and left the arena.

The official who had given them their match-ups quickly approached them. "Tseng has resigned from the tournament," she informed. "That leaves third place to default."

"Third place, huh?" Corr frowned thoughtfully, and shrugged. "I'll take it. I'm in no shape to duel again anyway."

"I'd take third in a heartbeat," Maxx grumbled. "No questions asked if it meant I didn't have to duel… _that_." She gestured to Cait Sith flippantly as she emphasized her final word. She never imagined she'd be pitted against the small feline, let alone intimidated by her. And yet, there she was, concerned.

Corr encouragingly dropped his hand atop her head. "You'll be fine."

Sighing, Maxx stood, her grip tight on her shinai. "If I die, bury me at sea," she requested drolly, and scaled the steps to the platform.

Cait Sith had already positioned herself in her assigned spot. She stood, stoic, waiting for her opponent to present herself. Maxx tensed her jaw and huffed sharply, attempting to overcome her anxiety, and placed herself before the cat duelist. Upon studying her face, Maxx found sudden truth in Tseng's claim. There was definitely something not right with Cait Sith. Normally full of life, her large emerald eyes were glazed and devoid. Her commonly swishing tail was stagnant, and the fan of whiskers that pointed from her muzzle did not so much as twitch.

As Maxx prepared to battle, Cait Sith remained statuesque. It wasn't until her ears caught notice of the engulfing silence that she realized her opponent wasn't still, but frozen. The blonde lifted her head and spun frantically. All of Sunset Isle had halted in time. Even the waves on the sliver of coastline she could see from the training grounds were cemented in place.

A whistling rush of air disturbed the space before her as Cait Sith was engulfed in wisps of light. As they subsided, one of the acrobatic white creatures was left in her place. As two more joined it, Maxx instinctively willed the weapon to defeat them to her grasp.

"Give it up!" she commanded, instantly defeating the transformed Cait Sith. Two quick slashes dispersed it's doppelgangers. Despite the swiftness in which she ended the barrage, her hands dropped to her knees. She was exhausted, and felt herself loosing the will to try any longer. Her gaze locked on the weathered canvas surface of the platform as beads of perspiration fell to it from her chin and the tip of her nose.

As Maxx wondered what was in store for her next, she felt a gentle hand lay on her back over her damp shirt. Hesitantly, she glanced up to meet the soft gaze of a familiar face.

"Naminé?" she breathed.

The girl nodded tenderly, but her expression turned wary.

"They won't ever give up," she warned. "Not as long as you're here."

Maxx's faced twisted as her words sank in. If what Naminé said was true, then all the ordeals, all the trials she had endured, would never end. It had been less than a week, and she was already on the verge of giving in. How would she last forever? And what did Naminé mean by 'as long as she was here'? This was her home, the only world she had ever known. Where else could she go?

Naminé watched in concern as Maxx began pant fuming breaths. Overcome by anger, confusion, and frustration, a low growl began to seep from between her gritted teeth. Unable to contain her flurry of emotions, it escalated to a loud, sorrowful cry. She hurled the sword in her hand across the platform and bunched her hands into her hair, as if she could physically hold down her rage.

"Naminé, please..." she chocked. ""Tell me what's going on."

Before she could reply, a whirlwind of pixels transported DiZ into their company. It was the first time Maxx had seen him face on. From under his hood, she could she a pale beard covering his chin and a pair of golden eyes. The shadows hid most of the details in his face, but she could still make out faint signs of age.

"Enough Naminé," he chastised, like a parent scolding their child.

From the corner of her eye, Maxx saw the disciplined girl shift nervously. DiZ waved his hand toward her, warping her away in a void of darkness. Maxx attempted to dive in after her, but the portal dispersed around her as she moved into it.

"I apologize for Naminé," he addressed, his formal tone laced with mockery. "She will not interrupt you anymore."

Maxx glared pointedly into his shrouded eyes, and summoned her sword back to her hand. "What about you? You gonna make a habit of sneaking around me?"

She could have sworn she saw trace of a smirk slip across his face.

"I certainly hope not."

DiZ's form abruptly faded from view in the same manner it had arrived. Maxx felt her head rush as the world around her sped back into real time. The crowd pealed with excitement. Cait Sith sat awkwardly at her feet, and appeared to have returned to her normal self. Her tiny pink nose twitched against the salty breeze and her ears pricked up in an attentive fashion as she grazed her view about her, looking rather disoriented.

"Strrrrange..." she purred, flicking her tail back and forth into neat curls. "Maxx? What happened?"

Maxx blinked and shook her head, trying to catch up to reality. "Uh... nothing," she stammered, and helped Cait Sith to her feet.

The two left the stage side by side, but went their separate ways upon reaching the bottom of the stairs. Corr peered intensely into Maxx's face as she fell onto the spot next to his on the bench. Her face was pale and her eyes darted about like they were following a hummingbird.

"You okay?" he pressed. "You look... freaked out."

"Well hey kiddos." The new voice, smooth and sharp, came from Corr's left. He and Maxx looked up to the individual who had joined them. A blue and white bandana sat tied over his grey-blonde hair, and a very used shinai was slung over his shoulder.

"Hello Locke," Corr smirked. It wasn't often he saw their old team captain. He had graduated the year previous, and it was he who handed the title down to Corr when he left. Up until that point the two of them had shared a friendly rivalry, with Locke at the top of the roster, and Corr struggling to climb it. With no competition between them any longer, it had of course ended peacefully, but both still enjoyed giving each others' feathers a reminiscent ruffle every so often.

"Strange Maxx," Locke teased. "'When I saw the match-ups I was sure I'd be duelling Corr, not you."

"Sorry to disappoint you," she quipped. Maxx's interactions with Locke had been generally positive. While he emanated a slight over-confidence, and had womanizing tendencies, he had taken his role as captain in earnest. He coached all his younger and less experienced teammates, herself included, and enjoyed seeing them succeed. She knew that was why he was there, duelling the top of the bracket, and not out of vanity.

Ascending to the platform for the final time, Maxx followed Locke to the center. The crowd burst into excitement at the sight of the old captain, evident by the level to which the noise rose. His opponent grimaced, rubbing her forehead with the hand that wasn't holding her shinai.

"You look rough kid," Locke commented upon noticing her discomfort.

"Thanks for noticing," she replied dryly, still massaging her head. The pain was increasing to beyond what loud noise and a tired headache would cause. A burning sensation flared through the back of her scalp, down her neck and into her shoulders. As she attempted to move into her starting stance, the nerves in her arms twitched, like she had never taken it in her life. She shifted gracelessly, trying to find a scrap of comfort. Her hand shot behind her hip, finding relief in the stance she took when wielding the weapon that killed the creatures in white. Despite the physical pain melting away, emotionally Maxx felt an ache in her chest. She was changing, rapidly and out of control.

If there was any indication of Maxx's distress, Locke could not see it. When he saw the irritation the pain her head caused left her face, he readied himself to battle.

"Show me what a year's taught you," he grinned.

As the signal to begin sounded clear through the training grounds, a snap of the first contact of shinai echoed after it.

* * *

"Sorry I'm late!"

Auburn curls bounced around a cheery face as the source of the merry voice sprung down the large staircase of Traverse Town's first district. The neon lights sparkled in the girl's wide chestnut eyes, flanked by yellow ribbons braided into the hair tucked behind her ears. She jogged hurriedly to four individuals already seated in the outdoor cafe, their faces illuminated by the candle placed in the center of the table they sat around.

"I'm sorry!" she apologized again. "I lost track of time."

"You're always late D.A.." A dark brown ponytail slipped over the shoulder of the girl who had addressed her tardy friend as she sipped the cup of tea she held.

D.A. huffed, not fond of her flaw being pointed out. "Aw, come on Natalee. Not _always_..."

Natalee smiled and placed her cup onto it's saucer. "Don't worry about it. Just take a seat and we can get started."

"Ah, great!" D.A. exclaimed. "I'm starving!"

Natalee smiled at her friend as she took a seat at the opposite side of the round table. "So, who will start us off?" Her emerald eyes swept over the group seated around her. With no reply, she looked to the mousy haired brunette to her left. "Eli?"

"No change," he replied, flipping open the notebook before him and scanning the page. "The stars have been following their normal pattern. None have disappeared. No significant meteor activity either."

D.A., seated on the opposite side of Eli, spoke up. "Everyone in town is accounted for. No one appears to be missing, and no one new has shown up."

Next to D.A. was a young man, slouched back in his chair, his hand tangled into his jet-black hair. His expression soured as he noticed all eyes falling upon him. "What?"

"It's your turn," D.A. coaxed.

He huffed in an irritated fashion, and gestured to the platinum haired individual between Natalee and himself. "Ask Cameron. He has the book."

"Matthew..." Cameron scolded, his tone chastising his friend's behavior.

"What?" he snapped. "You do..."

Cameron growled slightly under his breath, agitated, but decided to avoid an argument with Matthew. He did in fact have the small notebook Matthew had referred to, but had no need to open it. "Heartless levels are normal," he stated blankly.

"Shocking…" Matthew muttered facetiously, rolling his eyes.

Natalee puffed and crossed her arms as she glowered at him. "What's your problem?"

"Someone's a Mr. Grumpy-Face today," D.A. teased innocently, patting his shoulder.

"Maybe I'm just sick of wasting time on this," Matthew retorted, snatching the book from Cameron's grasp and tossing it into the center of the table. It hit the wooden surface with an audible slap.

"What do you mean 'wasting time'?" Eli protested.

"Don't you want to go back to where you came from?" D.A. added.

Matthew massaged the heel of his palm against his temple, agitated. "Of course. That's exactly why I'm tired of this. We've been tracking everything for a year now, and nothing's _ever_ changed."

"If you have a better suggestion, let's hear it," Natalee retorted.

"Why don't we do something ourselves?" he replied, his tone faintly inane. "You know, instead of sitting around waiting for something to happen?"

Instead of the echo of agreement Matthew had hoped for, he was met with silence, his friends staring at the table to avoid his gaze. He huffed a grunt of disapproval, and shot up from his chair, sending it skidding across the floor behind him.

"Fine," he muttered, surprising calmly, and strode out of the café.

As the rogue boy trod out of view, D.A. began to tap her spoon on her teacup, pealing an awkward, repetitive clinking through the courtyard. "Well, that was a little uncalled for…"

Natalee sighed, and shook her head. "No, he's right. This isn't working. We have to think of something else."

"What else _can_ we do?" Eli questioned.

"I don't know," she admitted. Glancing up to the rooftop of the item shop, she could see Matthew seated at the edge, tossing bits of debris into the open barrels scattered into alleyway below. "But we have to think of something…"

* * *

"Thirty seconds! C'mon Maxx, you can do it!"

Shuurei's cries of glee were unheard by Maxx. Her panting breath droned the sound of crowd away. Locke dueled just as she remembered. Tough and fast. She had managed to keep the score close, but only barely. The two had waffled back and forth the entire match for the highest score. Now they stood, worn and still, waiting for the other to make their move.

Maxx took the moment of pause to wipe the sweat from her upper lip. The timer was running low. If she was going to go for the win, it had to be then. She stepped forward, slowly at first, and rose her pace to a full on charge. Locke guarded her first sting of attacks, and swung for her neck. Maxx ducked before she realized she had, and crashed a hit into his unprotected side.

In the commotion of maneuvers that followed, time turned nonexistent. It wasn't until Locke shot out his hand and grabbed Maxx's shinai that she realized the match had ended. Her shock double when her glance shot over to the scoreboard, and she saw her points two higher than his.

Pulling her weapon free, she spun the shinai a half rotation, tapped the tip to the ground, and bowed her head, a sign of respect between duelers. Smiling, Locke did the same as the crowed around them clapped, hollered and whistled. Corr rushed from his seat and took Maxx by the shoulders, swaying her excitedly. The mass of students followed suit, cascading from the bleachers in waves. They swarmed the winner, showering her in clamping pats to the back, hugs, and hand grabbing. It was slightly overwhelming, but Maxx couldn't help but grin widely.

Nyaru and Shuurei filed their way through the school of bodies, joining up with Corr and Maxx. The younger girl could barely contain herself.

"You really did it!" she exclaimed, gathering Maxx's unarmed arm in a tight squeeze.

The crowd around them began to silence and part as the headmaster approached the four friends. In his hands was an intricate katana, hilted in a black enamel scabbard. The oval handle was weaved in white and gold bands. Four clear stones, red, blue, green and yellow, lay incrusted through the center.

Maxx friend's cleared the space before her as their headmaster halted before her, flanked by the team coach and Locke. Pride flickered in his aging face as he offered her the weapon.

"Congratulations Champion."

The duelist accepted her prize gingerly. The pads of her thumbs squeaked against the glossy surface. Slowly, she grasped the handle and pulled the straight blade free, it's sheen edge glinting in the sunlight.

As she raised the katana over her head, the crystals faceting coloured light into her face and her peers rising into cheers once more, a realization hit her.

Victory was a wonderful thing.

* * *

"Well Maxx, you pulled it off."

The group had gathered at their perch atop the station tower. Corr had the katana in his grasp, holding it up to the setting sun to look it over.

"Well, we promised each other," she replied. "We can display it in the Usual Spot."

"Thanks Maxx!" Shuurei exclaimed, taking the katana from Corr and running thumb over the gems.

Nyaru smiled and reached into her bag, pulling out four of the white boxes that held the sea salt ice cream bars. "I got us all a treat, to celebrate."

"Great idea, Nyaru. You think or everything," Corr praised, claiming one of the boxes from her.

Maxx, excited for her ice cream, hopped to her feet. In her haste, her foot carelessly landed on the edge of the balcony and slid off, sending her dangerously swaying over the dizzyingly high drop. She saw Corr swing his hand to grab her, and miss, as her balance failed. Her head swam as gravity pulled her increasingly faster to the surface of the ocean. A flamboyant splash spread out from her landing point as she hit the water. A gasp beaten out by the force of hitting the surface was the last breath Maxx took before she began to sink. The sunlight above her faded slowly as she descended further toward the sandy ocean floor.

A single ray of light was the last she saw, as a dark shroud of unconsciousness passed over her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well folks, another chapter set on Sunset Isle. We'll be outta there soon. Promise.
> 
> This chapter was hard to write. It's really only two scenes and both of them are very long and repetitive. I tried my best to keep them fresh and interesting. I hope I succeeded.
> 
> I wanted to talk about the side Final Fantasy characters a bit. First off is Cait Sith. I know most people think of the red-caped fella riding a white puffy thing, but I decide not to go with him for a few reasons. His personality didn't fit the role in the story, and Tseng, Elena, and Reno are from Final Fantasy VII. I didn't want to overlap. So I went with Cait Sith from Final Fantasy XI, who really is female and has huge green eyes and a silver crown. She fit the character archetype I needed perfectly.
> 
> Second is Locke. I wanted to stay true by using a Final Fantasy VI character, but I never liked how Setzer was portrayed in Kingdom Hearts 2. He isn't really like that in Final Fantasy VI. When I chose to use Locke instead, I wanted to stay as close as I could to his character in the game in which he originally appeared. I also didn't want him to be an antagonist to Maxx. She has enough of those already, and it had been awhile since I introduced someone who was on her side.
> 
> We've also met some new characters, living in Traverse Town. You'll see more of them later. I'm still not one hundred percent satisfied with where I put their scene, but I felt like the competition was getting really long, and I wanted to break it up a bit.
> 
> Chapter three is a biggie guys. I've already started working on it, and really enjoyed what I've written so far. Hopefully I'll be finished soon.
> 
> Drop a comment if you can. Let us know how we're doing.
> 
> Till next we post!
> 
> Au revoir!  
> Sayonara!  
> Buenos noches!


	3. Beginning's End

A lump welled in Maxx's throat as sheets tangled into her clawing arms. The sensation of endless sinking had not yet left her. Even as her head rushed from her pillow, her sight darted over her room. Still panting, but now sure she was not in harm's way, she sighed, collapsing her temple against the wall with a soft thud.

"A dream..." she assured herself. "I was dreaming." Her face crinkled around the pads of her thumb and forefinger as she massaged the bridge of her nose.

"Or was I...?"

_\- The 5th Day -_

The smell of the sea drifted over Maxx's face as she relaxed on her box in the Usual Spot. Nyaru, Corr and Shuurei had long since shown up, but had been silent. Maxx welcomed the lack of chatter, as the small room near the harbor was the one place she found restful since her dreams had begun.

"Maxx," Nyaru chided, arms crossed and foot tapping impatiently.

"Huh?" One eye barely open, the tired girl's gaze drifted to her friends.

"This is not the time for sleeping," Nyaru scolded.

"We're so close to vacation," Corr protested. "Don't you dare bring up school work."

Nyaru huffed, darting an icy gaze over her shoulder at him. "It's our final project. If we don't do it, we fail. Do you want to go to summer cram school over the break?"

Maxx frowned suspiciously. Yesterday had been nothing short of traumatic, yet the others seemed as collected as ever.

Shuurei caught a glimpse of her odd expression as Nyaru and Corr bickered. "Maxx, you okay?"

Maxx stared intensely at the grated ceiling. "Yesterday... I fell off the station tower into the ocean, didn't I?"

Corr snickered. "Not quite."

"Close call though," Shuurei added.

Nyaru sneered in frustration. "Stay on topic. We got the day off school to finish our final project, not lollygag about."

Corr windmilled his hands in defeat. "Fine," he sighed. "We'll do the project. Anyone have any brilliant ideas?"

Maxx bit her lip. "Why don't we study all the weird things happening to me? The dreams, voices, guys in white..."

Corr shrugged, his interest less than lacking.

Her suggestion snubbed, Maxx moped. Corr's absence of enthusiasm surprised her. "Aren't you curious?"

"Well, things have been very strange since everyone's photos went missing," Nyaru explained.

"So the day after the festival there's going to be a search all over town," Shuurei added. "Lots of people are joining in. We all want to find out exactly what's been going on."

Maxx's face brightened as her friends surrounded her. "Wow... all because I had some nightmares?"

Corr smiled a sultry grin and approached her, clamping his palm on top of her head. "That's what family does."

Smiling back, Maxx shook away his hand. "I'll go grab some ice cream!"

Maxx couldn't help but bear her biggest smile as she exited the usual spot. A warm feeling swelled inside her that her expression could not contain. It had been the best she felt in days, and despite the flurry of concerns still in the back of her mind, the sensation elated her. Outside the Usual Spot, she stopped to watch the golden sky.

"Family huh..."

The recollection of the incident only moments prior reddened her cheeks. Chuckling, Maxx rubbed her face, and took off for the ice cream shop.

* * *

Droplets of melted ice cream flicked over the edge of the harbor tour as Shuurei lapped up the drips trickling down her blue bar. The friends had made their way there after Maxx's return to discuss the project as they ate.

"You know, all the talk about tomorrow got me thinking," Shuurei spoke up. "I heard something strange the other day. Apparently in the station at Twilight Pier, there's a set of stairs that count differently depending on whether you walk up or down them."

"You believe that Shuurei?" Corr asked doubtfully.

"I can't say for sure," she replied, "but I do know there are six other rumors like that one floating around."

"Perhaps we could check them out," Nyaru suggested, "and then write about it for our paper."

"There could be other rumors we don't know about," Shuurei noted. "We should split up."

"Nyaru and I will do some digging," Corr replied, slinging his arm over the aforementioned girl's shoulder.

"Guess that leaves you and me," Maxx said to Shuurei as she tossed her empty wooden stick into the ocean.

Shuurei jerked her head in an enthusiastic nod. "Let's head to the ferry!"

* * *

"Ready?" Shuurei asked excitedly.

The two had made their way to the entrance of the ferry station after climbing down from the clock tower.

Maxx nodded. "I wonder what we'll find."

"Nothing without us."

They turned to see Corr closing in on them, followed closely by Nyaru.

"We couldn't find anything in the square," she explained.

"We figured we'd tag along with you guys," he added.

Maxx grinned. "Sounds good. I had to go to the pier today anyway. I'm glad we get to go together."

"Ferry's boarding!" Shuurei called, already tugging open one of the large glass doors.

The quartet sat together on the lower level of the Sunset Isle ferry. The common areas were all function, no form. They were open to the elements. Metal grating surrounding the perimeter was all that kept the passengers inside. The floor was damp and the walls were sticky from the salty spray of the ocean. The ferries were old boats. The paint on the metal surfaces was cracked and peeling. The wooden seats on the benches were smooth from ages of use. No one expected them to be anything more than the esoteric commute they provided anyway. Dotted around the children were rugged workers, mostly fishermen, toting banged up lunch pails and sacks of grimy netting.

"So why do you need to go to the pier Maxx?" Shuurei inquired.

"I have to go see Murray," she replied. "The season starts a couple days after the festival."

Besides the dusk blossoms, Sunset Isle wasn't known for much. To most outsiders it was nothing more than a sleepy fishing town that kept to themselves. To surfers, however, it was a must-visit location. Being an inlet, the waves were tall and fast, perfect for shredding.

Surfing was such a big part of the culture that there was a competition team at the school. Maxx had joined as soon as she had been old enough, and had fallen in love with the sport almost instantly. Unlike dueling, which took her long hours of practice to better herself at, surfing had come naturally to her. She had been able to stand on her board after only a few tries, and adored every moment she spent encased in the watery curls.

The team was only active during summer vacation, when the weather was best. Maxx knew all her teammates would be out at the beach, warming up after the long break of winter and spring.

Murray was an old beach bum of a man with a true surfer's soul. He lived in shack on the beach by the pier, where he also ran the town surf shop. In the back of the shop was a row of lockers the team rented out, storing all their gear year round.

The ferry's loud horn sounded as it docked at the Twilight Pier station. The clomping of heavy work boots echoed as the passengers filed down the exit ramp one by one. As the crowd of fishermen headed for the docks, the four young friends stayed behind. Shuurei dashed to the bottom of the staircase leading to the main street, gazing at them intently.

"These are the steps!" she told the others. She quickly scaled them to the top, and instantly climbed back down. "Hmm... I counted the same both times."

Nyaru smirked. "Imagine that." She paced forward to the steps and bent down, pressing her face in close to a placard posted on the wall next to the stairs. "Burrard Stairwell," she read aloud. "Dedicated to all who dream for better. Count to ten as you climb the steps, and your wish will be granted."

Corr ran his hand over the back of his head. "I guess that explains how that rumor started..."

Shuurei looked disappointed, but wasn't ready to give up. "There are still others though."

"Come to Murray's with me," Maxx suggested. "If anyone knows something about the rumors it's him."

Nyaru smiled and nodded. "I suppose we're headed to the beach."

* * *

White sand laced with dry, dead seaweed shifted under a parade of footsteps as the group headed towards the old driftwood shack. The beach was a tepid place, with the cold ocean casting breezes into the warm sunlight. Porous rock formations dotted the waterline, jutting from the sand and water, dampened by the crashing waves flowing around their crags. Flashes of colour could be seen as the surfers weaved in and around the towering curls.

"Well, if it ain't Miss Maxx."

The girl smiled at the old man as he addressed her in his surfer drawl. Murray's long grey hair was smoothed over his head and tied back. Salt and pepper stubble covered his chin, and a pair of caterpillar eyebrows flanked his watery-green eyes. His face became a mural of laugh lines and crows' feet when he smiled.

"Here to practice?" he inquired.

"In a little while," she replied. "Got to finish some homework first."

"Always were the procrastinatin' type, weren'tcha?" he teased.

Maxx crossed her arms and rolled her eyes, grinning. Although Murray had mentioned it in jest, he was right. She had never been one to give her schoolwork priority. Sitting in front of books was torture to her when Sunset Isle was just outside her door, waiting to be explored. She felt school to be a formality rather than a necessity anyway. The range of employment opportunities on the isle wasn't too varied. Fishing wasn't exactly an academic career.

"Murray, do you know about any mystery rumors?" Shuurei asked pointedly, leaning over the counter of the shop's outdoor service window. "We're debunking them for our paper. We already figured out Burrard Stairwell."

"Not a bad idea," Murray nodded, and reached behind the counter for a piece of folded paper. He placed it in Shuurei's anxious hands. "There are five more I know about. I've been marking them on that map," he explained. "You four can keep it."

The girl who had been handed the map hurriedly opened it. Five locations scattered across Twilight Pier had been marked with 'X's in charcoal, with notes next to each.

"This is perfect," she confirmed, grinning widely.

As the group moved to head to the closest mark, Murray stopped them.

"Maxx," he beckoned.

She turned curiously, her friends following suit.

"When you finish your paper, head back here. Got a surprise for ya."

Maxx cocked an inquisitive eyebrow as the others exchanged questioning glances.

"You got it," she replied.

* * *

"Well, this is the last spot on Murray's map," Nyaru stated.

Shuurei moped, disappointed so far. Unlike her friends, she seemed to have high hopes that the mysteries would turn out to be something magical and without explanation, but so far none had. They had all been deduced into reason, explained away by various mind tricks and optical illusions. Now they had gathered at the base of the cliff where the town lighthouse sat.

"Apparently you can see a ghost in the windows of the old beach mansion," Corr quoted from the notes on Murray's map.

They could see the back of the mansion far in the distance, cut off by the ocean.

"Hard too see from this far..." he commented.

"I'll see if I can get closer," Maxx offered, springing and climbing up the rocky spit that stretched further into the open water.

"Be careful!" she heard Shuurei call to her as she moved father out, hopping from rock to rock.

Her hair and clothes were damp from the splashing waves by the time she reached the end of the panhandle, but she did have a better view of the old house. She squinted, staring hard into the windows. In one, a sheer white curtain swayed with the breeze. A particularly harsh gale pushed the drape aside, revealing Naminé gazing over the cove. Maxx gasped, and rubbed her eyes. The curtain fell over Naminé's form, and Maxx gaped when the wind once again exposed the spot she had stood. The girl was gone, without a trace.

Distracted by the baffling sight, she lost her footing, and slipped on the algae covered stones into the sea.

She was still dripping and sputtering when she returned to her friends on the shore.

"Looks like you ended up in the ocean after all," Corr mocked jokingly as her offered her his sweatshirt. She accepted, and pulled her arms into the sleeves just before she began to shiver.

"So?" Shuurei pressed. "Did you see the ghost?"

Maxx swallowed. She knew Shuurei would be crushed, but she simply couldn't tell the truth about what she had witnessed in the window.

"It was a curtain moving in the wind," she stated, tugging out the elastics that held her hair in its usual low set pigtails.

Shuurei slumped, as let down as Maxx expected.

"Curtain... in the... wind," Nyaru repeated aloud as she added Maxx's findings into the last sentences of their paper. "All finished!" she proclaimed.

"There's a delivery pneumatic by the station,"Corr remembered. "We can send the paper to the school, and then head back to Murray."

"Ohhhhh," Shuurei hummed. "That's right. Maxx has a surprise waiting!"

Nyaru had already neatly folded their essay and sealed in an envelope. She waved it next to her face, looking pleased that she had accomplished the task of getting her friends to complete it. "Off we go then."

* * *

"They're back," Murray welcomed as the four young ones approached his stall for the second time that day. "How did those mysteries turn out for ya?"

"Not so great," Shuurei pouted. "They were all bogus."

"But we did finish the paper," Nyaru added, always the optimist.

"That's great to hear," Murray nodded. "There's still a good amount of daylight left. You'll have some time to practice on those waves, Maxx." The old man grinned at her and reached out of sight. He pulled a flat white box off one of the wall shelves and placed it on the counter in front of her. "You're gonna need it."

Maxx stared at the plain box, baffled, without a clue as to what it could be. The unknown gave her a new sense of dread. The surprises she had encountered the past few days hadn't exactly been pleasant, after all.

"Well, go on," Corr encouraged.

"Open it!" Shuurei coaxed, barely able to contain her excitement.

Maxx gave in to their advances, and flipped off the lid. As she swatted flyaway folds of tissue paper, she was met with a flash of white and blue. She chocked on her own breath as she gazed upon the crested windbreaker before her.

"Uh... Murray..." she stammered. "This... this is a varsity jacket."

He smirked coyly. "Your coach dropped it off this morning. Asked me to give it to you."

The shocked girl was still wide-eyed and awed as Murray plunked her white, orange and blue surfboard onto the counter next to the box. The noise made her jump, and she glanced at him expectantly.

"Way to go, kid," he congratulated, nudging her arm with the tip of the board.

Her expression burst into one of pure jubilation. Nyaru laughed as she and Corr were tossed armfuls of clothing as Maxx stripped to her swim top and wet shorts. Sand flew widely as she kicked off her shoes, and dashed for the water, board in tow. The water chilled her skin as she sloshed up to her knees. Laying the board on the rippling surface, she laid on her stomach and paddled out the waning crests. She felt her heart jump and her adrenaline spike as she caught the current of the riptide, quickly popping up to her feet.

"Go surfer girl!" Shuurei called.

Maxx couldn't hear her over the blood pounding in her ears and the surf crashing around her, not that she needed any encouragement. She never felt freer than when she caught the waves. Her hair flapped around her face, and the cold spray hit her bare skin like pinpricks. She could taste the salt of the sea with every damp breath. The rushing water frothed where it grazed her fingertips. It was heaven. Frigid, wet, and the best she had felt in days.

Perhaps, she thought, her tides of fate were finally turning.

* * *

"Another school year come and gone," Corr sighed happily.

Night had fallen. To celebrate the end of the year, Sunset Isle's young had gathered at the beach. A huge bonfire glowed across the dunes, fueled by students joyfully throwing backpacks full of homework into it's flames. Even Tseng seemed happy as he tossed in stacks of math worksheets. Elena and Reno stood at his side, gladly assisting with Cait Sith perched on Reno's shoulder. Murray had accumulated an audience of freshmen into a semicircle, who watched intently as he tutored the art of hanging ten. Locke had his own crowd of senior girls, and seemed far too blissful entertaining them with stories of past duels, and life after graduation. Cheni had traveled to the shore as well, Coro flanking her left and a cooler to her right, containing free of charge ice cream. Nyaru was chatting gleefully with a group of her classmates, and Shuurei had busied herself with precariously roasting the perfect marshmallow.

Tucked away at the fringe of the bustle, Corr and Maxx had seated themselves on her board, settled into the sand.

"Heck of a year," she mused, taking a swig from the bottle of cheap beer she held in her hand and swaying in time with the distant acoustic guitar playing.

Corr nodded, raising his own bottle to his lips. "Heck of a year," he agreed, and drank.

"Go easy you two," Nyaru chided, sinking down to the sand in front of them.

"Don't want you hung over at the festival tomorrow," Shuurei added, nuzzling her way into the gap between Maxx and Corr. She took her last bite of smore and speared open a pouch of fruit nectar with it's straw.

"Don't worry," Maxx assured them. "It's gonna be the best one yet."

Her head bobbed from the impact of Corr's hand falling to it.

"Sure is..." he said softly, a dreamy smile about him.

Shifting on her hip, Nyaru held out her can of iced coffee. "To a summer together," she toasted.

"To summer!" Shuurei chimed.

Clinking belled across the beach as the four touched their various beverage containers together.

The talk and laughter that came from their tiny circle fell into the harmony of the perfection that surrounded them, a symphony of flaws, joy, trouble and triumph coming together in a delicate balance. The glow of the fire, the crashing waves, the delinquencies of adolescents, a sky of gleaming stars... It was a composition littered with subtle details that combined into a beautiful whole. And, if one looked close enough, they would find a tiny gathering of four close friends, three seated on a surfboard and the other in the sand, lost and content their tiny, far off world...

* * *

" _Gawrsh, is that all that's left of the worlds taken by the Heartless?"_  


" _Those worlds will be restored if we beat Ansem, right? But, if we do beat him and all these worlds become restored and disconnected, what's gonna happen to this place? And to us?"_  


" _All worlds begin in darkness, and all so end. The heart is no different. You see, darkness is the heart's true essence."_  


" _That's not true! The heart may be weak. And sometimes it may even give in. But I've learned that deep down, there's a light that never goes out!"_  


" _Kingdom Hearts! Fill me with the power of darkness!"_  


" _You're wrong. I know now, without a doubt, Kingdom Hearts is light!"_  


" _Now, Sora! Let's close this door for good!"_  


" _Take care of her."_  


" _Where am I…?"_  


" _Stay asleep."_  


" _A door to the truth, huh?"_  


" _I'm taking the middle road."_  


" _Do you mean the twilight road to nightfall?"_  


" _No…"_  


"… _It's the road to dawn."_  


A strange, foreign feeling was about Maxx as she woke. She felt... rested, like she had slept longer and deeper than ever before in her life. An energy, a sense of all around her coursed though her veins and across her skin. As she sat up, the sensation of her heightened senses bombarded her. The fuzz on her sheets, the cold grain of the wooden floor under her feet, the hair brushing her cheeks, could all be felt as if it were the for first time. She could hear the particulates swirling in the running air vents in her ceiling, the hum of the electricity being fed to her desk lamp, and the active drone of the town below her. The morning sun was bright, casting hard shadows over the objects strewn across her bookshelves, threads of white reflected light curving across their edges. The scent of laundry soap emanated from her blankets, mixing with that of the sea, strong and briny, breezing in from her wedged open window.

The sight of her new yukata hanging over her chair was a settling one. Her clothes for the day, sitting in their usual place, assured her she was still somewhere safe, somewhere she had always known. Cautiously lifting herself from her seat on the bed she stood before the chair, gathering the yukata up in her hands. Fashioned from raw silk dyed aqua blue, it was smooth, but not shiny. Scatterings of dark blue and salmon embroidered fish adorned sections of the short sleeves and collar area. The hems and seams were tapered with black, and the inside was lined with white cotton. The yukata was short, falling just over her hips. With so little weight, it required no obi, held shut instead by a black sash wrapped around her waist. A pair of black walking shorts, also sitting on the chair back, would be worn underneath.

On the desk was an open box, lined with velveteen, holding the kanzashi Cheni had lent her. Sunset pink leaves, expertly folded from heavy satin, fell from the hairpin, intertwining with strings of silver beads.

The silk, still held gently in Maxx's hands, streamed through her fingers as she rubbed the fabric between them, cool as the ocean waves. In a flutter of blue folds, she spun the yukata around her head and slung it over her shoulders.

The school year had come and gone. It was a new season, a new time to start again, to put the bad behind her and focus on making the future better.

As a flock of gulls flapped past her window, she imagined their wings carrying away her troubles, far out to the open sea.

"Time to change."

_\- The 6th Day -_

The Usual Spot was empty, to Maxx's surprise, save for a lone Shuurei clad in knee length, navy yukata. Held in place by a slim golden obi, the blue fabric was streaked with white waves, and dotted with red specks and the pale yellow silhouettes of sea birds. Her cascade of raven hair was knotted neatly atop her head, held in place by an interval of white braided linen. She had seated herself on the sofa, waiting patiently, her ferry ticket clasped in her tiny hands.

"Well, I don't know about you, but I'm sure glad school is over!" Maxx exclaimed, trodding across the Usual Spot toward her friend, her hair ornament jangling in time with her stride.

The young girl did not reply, or even look up at her. Maxx frowned.

"Shuurei…" she queried, reaching out to place her hand on her shoulder.

The clamour of many footsteps and the scraping of metal against metal sounded from the opening gate behind them. Shuurei's head shot up, but still she did not acknowledge Maxx standing at her side. Her gaze seemed to pass through her, falling instead on the crowd of her first-year classmates waiting in the doorway.

"Time to go Shuurei," one of them called.

"Gotta hurry or we'll miss the ferry!"

"I'm ready!" Shuurei lilted, gathering up her camera.

Maxx made a final grab at Shuurei's arm. Expecting her touch to meet her solid form, Maxx gasped when her hand passed through Shuurei's elbow, turning her momentarily transparent. She stood, frozen in disbelief as her young friend exited the Usual Spot with her peers.

As the iron gate shut with a clang, Maxx shook her head clear, dashing to the exit to follow Shuurei.

Outside, the Sunset Isle she had entered from was gone. Everything looked the same, but the air was deathly still, devoid of life. The sound of the ocean, the buzz of crowds, the birds floating in the breeze, all gone…

"The time has come, child."

The familiar voice came from behind her. DiZ, in his unforgettable black hood, stood in the Usual Spot's entryway.

"You…" she murmured darkly. "What did you do?"

"There is nothing left for you here," he stated, ignoring her pry. "Head to the beach house, quickly. The Dusks will be coming for you soon."

As DiZ began dissipate, Maxx lunged in an attempt to grab and stop him. "Hey!" she protested, "Tell me what's happened!"

As the last of her antagonist rose away, Maxx kicked the ground in defeat. "Damnit…"

In the distance, a view of the old mansion peeked between the buildings of town. Recalling DiZ's warning, she surrendered to his demand. "Guess I have no choice…"

* * *

"Figures," she grimaced, finding the gate to the house still locked tight as she approached it. "Send me here and keep me locked out. Thanks a lot…"

Gripping iron bars tightly in her hands, she gave the gate a firm shake. It rattled and clanked, but did not budge. "Just great," she lamented, hanging her head.

Maxx heard the sound of Dusks materializing at her back, and frowned. "So he was telling the truth…" Sure enough, she turned to find a gang of five or so, closing in on her. She considered fighting, but decided to press on into the house as DiZ had instructed, as so far everything he had said was correct, and doing as he said had proved to be the best course of action.

Backing up as far as she could without walking into the huddle of Dusks, she ran at brick wall to the left of the gate. The momentum of her sprint overcame the pull of gravity and carried her a few precious footsteps up the wall, high enough for her to grab one of the decorative outcroppings and climb up to the top, which she hastily jumped from, hitting the sandy gravel of the entrance garden heel over teakettle. Springing to her feet, she quickly checked herself over, making sure she was still in one piece. It was surprising she had made it, but the fact that she had accomplished the stunt in her flat-soled, but nonetheless formal shoes was nothing short of a miracle. She smiled, pleased with her feat, and took off through the garden to the main entrance.

The huge double doors, carved from old dark wood, were all the stood between her and the inner rooms. Two porthole windows, much to high for Maxx to peer into, lay imbedded in the midst of the carvings that covered the doors. A mural of the sea, the bottom figures showed the ocean floor, laden with sunken ships, kelp forests, and undersea caves. The frieze worked up through environment, from fish and whales in the open water, to ships and buoys on the surface. Fishermen on the docks, a sandy shore blanketed in dusk blossoms, a lighthouse settled into the far off cliffs, all drew the eye up to sky, pillowed with clouds where cherubs frolicked in flight with the seabirds.

"Sunset Isle…" Maxx whispered. "All in one wooden panel."

The door's heavy brass handles chilled her hands as she took them in her grasp. To her surprise it took only a minimal amount of force to push open the unlocked access. The doors swung open, just far enough for the small girl to edge her way into the large foyer. The inside of the mansion proved to be just as uncared for as the outside. Dirt caked to floor, so thick she left footprints. Dust swirled through the air, settling on every surface. Most of the furniture was broken, scattering the floor in pieces. No interior lights were lit, the only illumination coming from the orange sunlight pouring through the large, cobweb ridden windows.

At the back of the room was a massive staircase, steps filled with holes and it's banister barely held together. Carefully placing her feet in the spots that looked least likely to collapse under her weight, Maxx climbed to the top, the wooden structure creaking loudly under her steps. The hallway at the top had originally split to go to both sides of the house, but the right walkway had fallen in on itself, many years ago from the look of it. Maxx took the left path to east wing, which she followed until coming up the first open door she had found so far. Soft, white light threaded from the opening. The small section of the floor she could see was immaculately clean, an unexpected sight in the old house.

The door bared no resistance, and did not squeak as she pushed it slowly open. The room was indeed clean… and white. Everything, the walls, ceiling, furnishing, even the flowers set in a vase on the large table in the middle of the room; white. The only colour to be found was from the gallery of drawings pasted on the walls at eye level, which Maxx proceeded to look over.

Many of the images were ones she recognized from her dreams. Most of Sora, his companions, and the places they visited. In the corner of the room was an image of Sora, Kairi, and Riku seated on their favorite tree, watching the sunset.

As she stared at the artwork, a sudden hum rose in her ears, increasing to the point that Maxx began to claw at her head, writhing in pain. She fell to her knees, still clinging to her scalp as she groaned in anguish.

The agony seemed endless, but relief finally came with a gentle hand laid atop her head. Maxx let her hands fall, and recognized the blue sandals standing before her as she opened her eyes.

"Naminé?"

"You should hurry to the basement," the white sundress clad girl advised, helping Maxx to her feet. "The headaches will get worse if you stay in this place."

"You mean the mansion?" Maxx questioned, rubbing her forehead as she leaned on the table.

"Go back the way you came," Naminé continued, ushering Maxx to the door. "The basement access is in a room off the main entrance."

"Naminé, please, tell me what's going on…"

"DiZ is progressing his plan. You have to leave."

"Why is this happening? What's going to happen to me?"

Taking hold of the door, Naminé placed her companion in the entrance. "You'll be fine," she assured her, taking her seat at the table. "But you need to hurry." She placed her folded hands on the tabletop, gazing down at her sketchbook. "I'll try to buy you some time."

Standing in the doorway, Maxx paused looking back at the girl who had helped her those past days. "Naminé…"

Her cohort looked up to her.

Maxx smiled at her. "I hope we meet again."

Naminé mirrored a smile in return, just as Maxx took off down the hall.

* * *

The room Naminé had directed Maxx to had turned out to be the library. Despite the aging and neglect the mansion had experienced, the room appeared to be in tact for the most part. Although it was dusty and succumbing to rot and rust, the books that filled the shelves were still neatly organized, many of them still looking readable.

She clung anxiously to the collar of her yukata as she entered. In the center of the room was a decrepit reading desk, cluttered with books and papers. Placed on the floor beneath it was an intricate rug. At one point it had more than likely been a beautiful piece of art, but years of dirt, moisture and sunlight had faded its patterns and matted its thread. Maxx dragged sole of her shoe in an arcing motion across it, leaving trails in the dust, when her toe hit a bump. She tapped it with her foot. It was hard, and made a clanging sound. Something metal was built into the floor under the rug.

With all her strength, she pushed the heavy wooden desk forward. It creaked opposingly to the movement, and the legs cracked and splintered in resistance. Maxx managed to move the piece a few feet nonetheless, and sent a billowing cloud of choking dust through the room as she tossed back the rug. She coughed, and waved her hands about to clear the air. When the shroud settled, she found the offending bump to be a metal ring handle attached to a trap door.

The rusted hinges groaned as the door was lifted away from its frame for the first time in years. Expecting to find a derelict root cellar or laden wine storage, Maxx was shocked when she found a futuristic looking stairway leading to a tunnel. She quickly heaved the trap door forward, and descended into the dim space. The walls and floor were covered in a puzzle of metal plates, and the ceiling was grated, separating her from a maze of pipes, ducts, and wires.

She followed the bends of the walkway until reaching a soft light coming from the next turn. She spun the corner, and the tunnel widened. From a panel in the wall, a river of wires set in plugs bent around a ninety degree curve out of her sight. She followed them quickly, finding them drawing power to a pair of large glass pods, embedded with macabre electronics that beeped and blinked. The chamber was filled with a strange white mist. Above the level at which it settled, Maxx could see a pair of familiar faces.

"Corr..." she breathed, dashing to the closest pod and slapping her palms against the glass. Panicked, she turned to the other. "Nyaru..."

Two electrodes were adhered to the back of their necks, the wires falling into opaque fog. Clothed in simple white shirts, their eyes were closed, and their heads bowed, but they did not appear to be sleeping. Their was no sign of breath in their chest or movement behind their eyelids. The only indication that showed life of any kind was the colour in their face, and the steady blip of the machine reading their heart rate.

Maxx collapsed one of her hands to the glass of Nyaru's pod. Her head fell as she crushed her eyes shut, holding in the tears that wanted desperately to flood down her face. She suddenly felt overwhelmingly beguiled. She had lost everything. Her home, her friends, her will. Whatever reason there was wasn't good enough. Nyaru and Corr didn't deserve such a fate. _She_ didn't deserve it...

Maxx's hands contracted into tight fists as she heard DiZ's voice reverberate though the hall.

"You must move on," it ordered.

"Shut up!" she cried, slamming her knuckles against the surface of Corr's mechanical cocoon.

As greatly as she wanted to contend DiZ's instructions, she knew she had no choice. It took all she had to pry herself away from her friends. As she walked away, she felt sickened, like she had left her heart behind with them.

The door at the end of the pod hallway slid open as she approached it. Her senses were bombarded with a rush from the elements. Gusts of wind tossed her hair, bring with them the scent of the sea. Orange sunlight beat down onto the steps before her, miniature dunes of sand collecting in their crevices. Maxx climbed them before she gave herself time to hesitate, and rubbed her eyes as they adjusted to the bright light. She blinked as her pupils dilated, and found herself on a beach. It was definitely Sunset Isle coastline, but it was a section she had never seen. The pathway on which she stood was nestled between two hills of sand, and led out the main expanse. It was patched with tall dunegrass, and flanked by a rickety fence constructed of pale wood pickets and iron wire.

Standing out before the wide sweep of waterfront was a lone figure garbed in a full length cloak of red and brown. Despite the red bindings that twined around his neck and over his face, Maxx knew it was DiZ by the one exposed yellow eye. Only selfishness and apathy of his calibre could turn a gaze that piercing.

"You've finally arrived," he greeted as the young girl paced up to him.

Maxx narrowed her eyes. "Hope I didn't keep you waiting."

"Not at all," he replied, all too cheerily for her to stomach. "You're just in time to serve your final use."

"Why me?" she demanded. "I'm just a girl who talks out too much and does bad in school. I'm nobody."

DiZ chuckled. "Perhaps the coming days will improve you're character. In the meantime, come to the water if you would."

Vanishing in his typical swirl of green light, DiZ cleared the way. Maxx tentatively stepped forward to the wet sand. A frothy wave lapped over her feet and seeped into her shoes. The sun had settled into the horizon, close to setting. In her peripherals, she could see the violet dusk blossoms that blanketed the surrounding cliffs open one by one. If these were her last moments on Sunset Isle, she was glad this beautiful sight before her was the last she would see.

As the last sliver of the sun fell behind the waterline, one of the all too familiar dark voids folded out the water directly in front of Maxx. It fell away almost instantly, leaving behind someone cloaked in the same jacket DiZ had abandoned only hours prior. They were shorter than him, but still very tall. The sun at their back made it impossible to see the face under their hood. Although they stood in the sea, submerged past their ankles, they seemed to be unconscious, for their form did not move save for the breeze swaying their coat. It wasn't until their head slowly lifted to face her's that Maxx was sure there was life within the black cloak. She could sense a presence beyond the concealing shadows, unlike any she had ever felt. One that was neither good, nor bad. It emanated warmth, but chilled her to the bone. Within their heart was a powerful light, but it laid deep in darkness. She wasn't sure what kind of being could possess such a soul, but whatever it was, she could feel it looking at her. Not with eyes, but with an omnipotent sense that could peer straight into her existence.

The rhythmic motion of the waves pulling up around her feet was cut by a sudden, fierce tugging. Maxx's view jerked to the ground. Writhing darkness had bubbled up under her soles. Snaking tendrils wrapped up her legs toward her knees, and kept her firmly in place when she pulled and squirmed against their hold. As she fought harder, additional binds shot up to her arms strengthening their force. With each one she broke, two more would propel from the ground and claim her, all the while continuing to crawl up her body. She was consumed past her chest by the time her knees finally gave in, and she collapsed to the ground. A few involuntary, reflexive twitches escaped her, but she knew it was over.

She turned her gaze up to the faceless shadow under the unknown figure's hood. A sad smile graced her face as darkness crept up her neck and her over cheeks. At her back, a glint of the first lighting dusk blossom glowed in the twilight.

"I guess I'll be spending my summer alone…"

She felt the cold of darkness consume the back of her head, working the kanzashi out of her hair before covering her eyes and, in an instant, pulling her into it's depths.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew! Talk about an emotional chapter! I really enjoyed most of these last two days. The contrast between them was so poignant, I think. Day five was beautiful and heartfelt, while day six was crushing. Oh, the drama! I tried to use day five to show a new level of realism to the Isle. Teenagers party, drink, slack off in school, and cause trouble. That shouldn't change simply because they're fictitious.
> 
> The surfing aspect was something I hadn't planned or even thought of originally. I realized quite late into writing these first few chapters that Maxx didn't have anything she was naturally good at, save for perhaps her parkour-esque climbing I've been trying to hint at (and hope I succeeded at. It's quite prevalent throughout the story). What with everything else in the town utilizing the sea, it seemed like the most logical thing to have her do. It felt a little out of left field to me, but not so much it seemed unbelievable.
> 
> Oh, and I totally named Murray after my dog. A little Easter egg for you readers.
> 
> I also loved describing the carvings on the front doors of the mansion. I want doors like that.
> 
> But alas, it is time to move away From Sunset Isle. I shall miss it. It was the only world I had to make up myself. A brain child, if you will.
> 
> Nonetheless, this journey is FAR from over. Next stop? You'll just have to wait and find out, now won't you? I hope you stick with me.
> 
> Comments are most appreciated guys. It's how I know you're reading. Much thanks!
> 
> Till next we post...
> 
> Au revoir!  
> Sayonara!  
> Buenos noches!


	4. Traversing

"Is he _still_ brooding?"

D.A. huffed in agitation as she bored a disapproving stare in Matthew's direction, who had continued to sit on the roof after his outburst.

"Yes…" Natalee sighed as she shoved a stack of letters into the First District mailbox.

"It's been over a week," D.A. stated disbelievingly. "He's just being stubborn now. Can't we do something to break him out of this funk?"

"I tried," Cameron replied. "Believe me. I tried to talk to him and all he did was glare at me. Then when I pressed him he left the room. Wouldn't even talk back to me."

D.A. grunted in frustration. "Gah!"

"He just needs time," Natalee shot in calmly. "All we can do is let him get over it on his own."

"If that ever happens…" Cameron added doubtfully.

Natalee frowned, defeated by her friends' pessimism. "Let's head back to the apartment. It's almost dinner time."

Matthew could hear their footsteps on the pavement as the others left the mailbox. Despite the distance between them, he had caught most of their conversation. While he knew they were only concerned, he couldn't shake the animosity he felt.

It had been over a year since his world had been taken over by Heartless. The others had been in Traverse Town just as long, if not more so. Adjusting to life on a new world had not been easy for any of them, but they had always had each other, through good times and bad. They all worked for Cid, the old, somewhat crass owner of the item, synthesis and accessory shops. The second district hotel had converted it's rooms into living quarters from the second floor up for the refugees of fallen worlds, and the five of them lived together in the smallest space they could muster.

The four of them were the closest Matthew had to a real family. He hated feeling the way he did toward them, but the trauma of losing his world still cut deep into his heart, and had finally got the better of him.

Although none of them had ever met Sora, Cid had told them about him many times. When he told them the young keyblade wielder had sealed the door to Kingdom Hearts, they had all felt a stirring of newfound hope. There were weeks of bittersweet farewells as many of Traverse Town's residents found their way back to the worlds from which they came. The population of the small world shrunk exponentially in those days. Most returned to the warm embrace of loved ones, the familiarity of home.

Some didn't. Lost in the vast expanse of worlds, for some it was simply too big, too overwhelming. Their home was out there, somewhere, far beyond their reach, or perhaps redemption had simply come too late, and their world's existence simply faded away into the dark of the cosmos. Whatever the case, for them, it seemed there was no return. Traverse Town, with its' long nights and glowing streets, was their new reality.

With nowhere to go, and their options slim, the five children took it upon themselves to watch over Traverse Town. Quietly, subtly, they began to track the stars, knowing each one represented a world. If one disappeared, or blinked back into view, it was important to know so. They watched over the town's denizens as they came and went from the Cid's shops, to be sure another lost soul didn't find themselves alone on the balmy streets, and also to know if a fortunate individual had somehow found their way back to the world they came from. Despite Sora's best efforts, Heartless still made their presence known, though they were few and far between. Both an influx and shrinking of their population was a crucial change that couldn't be ignored, should it occur.

Even with their hard work and determinations, the year had come and gone, and Traverse Town had remained stagnant, as unchanged as the heavy hearts of all who lived there. Their time, their energy, it had all been for nothing, a wasted effort that could have been put to better use accepting their painful, but obviously permanent, situation.

It was the thought of that above all that burned anger and frustration deep in Matthew's chest. Huffing resentfully, the sole of his shoe scuffed on the grainy burgundy roof shingles as he knocked a nearby pebble over the gutter with his toe. He buried his forehead into his intertwined fingers, waiting to hear the plunk of it landing on the masonry ground of the alley below.

When no sound came, Matthew's attention perked and he blinked oddly. Shuffling the edge of the roof, he peered over the drop-off, and gasped. Protruding from the pile of wooden crates and barrels was a small, pale hand, lifelessly still. Hastily rising to his feet, the concerned boy scrambled down the ladder he placed next to the synthesis shop doors to reach the roof. He wondered fearfully what familiar face he would find as he leapt down into the alley. The scattering of storage containers scraped and clattered as he pushed them aside, tunneling his way to the back wall. When his arms broke through the threshold and his sights fell on his goal, he froze. The small girl, draped in sea blue and shrouded in a mask of blonde hair, was one he'd never seen before.

Falling to his knees before her, he took up the hand that had revealed her, and felt her wrist for a pulse. He breathed a sigh of relief when he found one, albeit jarringly slow. He glanced quickly over her form. Save for her matted hair and the series of tears and wrinkles that had all but ruined her intricate blue robe, she seemed unharmed. Her limbs flopped in a ragdoll fashion as Matthew carefully gathered her up in his arms, praying the old man in the accessory shop could hear his desperate cry.

"Cid!"

* * *

Fibrous air, thick with tension, hung about the heads of all standing in hotel room number three, the Green Room. Upon being led there by Cid, Matthew had placed his find on the bed and fetched his cohorts. Now all six stood in an awkward silence, unsure of what to do or say.

"I'll have ta go to Hollow Bastion," Cid finally spoke up.

Eli glanced at him in concern. "Now?"

"Leon needs ta know about this," Cid stated tersely. His words gave the young people around him a sense of unease. It wasn't the news that gave them anxiety. Cid traveled between Hollow Bastion and Traverse Town regularly. It was his demeanour. None could recall a time when something had caused him to react so gravely.

The old man placed a small drawstring sac of what felt like tiny marbles in Natalee's hand.

"If anythin' happens, use these," he instructed.

As he swiftly took his leave without further explanation, the brunette's jaw dropped, and she stammered incoherently as Cid shut the door behind him. She had no idea what was in the bag, or how they were supposed to help. It wasn't munny. She could tell by the size of the orbs, and the way they felt when they rubbed against each other. And what made him think something could happen? We're they in danger?

Natalee sighed dolefully, and slipped the bag into her pocket. She would figure it out later.

As she turned back to the stranger in the bed, her sight caught the smile Matthew was trying to conceal as he leaned in the doorway the lead to the adjacent room.

"What are you so happy about?" she pressed, frowning.

He glanced at her, and shook his head. "Oh… nothing."

D.A. paced up to him and leaned her face in close to his, smirking as she studied his expression.

"He thinks she she's pretty," she announced.

Matthew snorted and averted his gaze, and a little too quickly. He could feel all eyes on him, and Cameron's knowing grin was the first sight he met when he looked back.

"Got a crush on the new girl, huh?" he taunted.

The target of their jest rolled his eyes. "Come on, guys, be serious." He crossed the room, gesturing to the comatose bed guest. "She's what we've been waiting for for the past year, what we've been working so hard to find."

His companions exchanged hesitant glances.

"Don't you see?" he mused. His shoulder's hunched, as though they couldn't hold the weight of his anticipation. "This changes everything."

Just as the others expressions began to show they're concurrence, D.A. slid her hands into her back pockets and slouched. "So what exactly do we do?"

Any indication of excitement they had was smeared away by the simple question, when each realized they didn't have an answer. They had spent so much time searching, it never occurred to them to plan for when they found what they sought.

Eli bit his lip, Cameron frowned, Matthew rubbed the back of his neck, and Natalee spoke up meekly.

"I... I guess we wait for her to wake up..." she offered.

D.A. puffed. "Better let the staff know the Green Room's gonna be occupied awhile."

Her friends followed her as she exited the suite, heading for the front desk. Matthew took up the rear, but halted in the doorway, taking a moment to look back at Traverse Town's newest addition.

"Don't make us wait too long, okay?" he murmured, and shut the door softly behind him.

* * *

Hours begat painfully slow days as the mysterious girl continued her deep, unbreakable sleep. Word of her presence spread throughout Traverse Town like dust in the wind, and it wasn't long before it's citizens we're knocking hourly on the door of Cid's employees, soliciting insatiable curiosity. The square of paper D.A. had adhered to the inner side of the door had quickly filled with black tick marks, one for every visit.

Natalee had decreed from the get-go that no one but the five of them were to go in the Green Room. While not sure of the specifics, it was clear the girl had been through immeasurable trauma, and the last thing she needed was a constant crowd around her, their prying eyes raking over her form like she was a back alley side show attraction. She would be dealing with enough of that when she woke up.

The Green Room became home away from home as time passed, as each took turns spending shifts with their pseudo-patient. Despite her complete opacity, the reason she could not be woken proved to be the most head-scratching. She was as healthy as a sleeping person could be. Her breathing was deep, and even, and her heartbeat slow. When Matthew sat her up and placed a cup of water or juice to her mouth, she would swallow reflexively. Eli had taken to reading to her aloud, and her closed eyes would twitch under her lids, almost as if she was listening. Natalee even felt a jolt of excitement when a soft sigh escaped her in reaction to the cool towel placed on her forehead. D.A. would joke, saying she had the biggest comatose personality in history.

It wasn't long before she felt like a close friend to her caretakers. Not a stranger, but a kindred presence, another of the lost Traverse Town children. Unaccepting of the ambiguity, Cameron had started calling her Jade, after the colour of the room in which she presided.

"I'm worried," Natalee confessed one night into a particularly silent dinner. "She's been sleeping for over a week."

"We're all looking after her," D.A. reminded. "What's the problem?"

Matthew stared intently at the spoonful of soupy rice he had lifted from his bowl. "She can't eat," he realized.

Natalee nodded hard. "That's right. We can force drink and cold compress her all we want, but if she doesn't eat soon, she's going to start getting worse."

"Any ideas?" Eli questioned cautiously. The inability to wake Jade up had put everyone on eggshells. All felt a portion of responsibility for her, and in turn a sense of guilt for not being able to really help her.

Silence reclaimed their communal table. Likely the most frustrated of all, Matthew let his spoon fall back into his bowl of untouched congee. "I'm going to go check on her," he announced, trying to sound calm.

Save for chewing and the clink of melting ice in glasses, the sound of the apartment door slamming behind him was the last any of them made.

* * *

Matthew felt his psyche stretched from one end of the green room to the other, ready to snap as he stared down at Jade, eyes closed, one bare foot crossed over the other. Her left hand rested under her chest, curled into a loose fist. The opposite arm lay parallel to her form, palm upturned to the ceiling. Was this how she slept naturally, he wondered. With the exception of the rise and fall of her breath behind her ribcage, she didn't, or more likely couldn't, move. He and the others left her in a comfortable position each time they returned her head to the thin pillow, but was it familiar to her? At some point, she had a home, just like the rest of them. A home where she ate breakfast every morning, rushed out an abused front door to school, tousled her blonde hair in a mirror and played music too loud. That was how Matthew pictured her at least, living a normal life in a blissfully happy home, where each night she would settle into an unmade bed. How would she curl into her sheets while sleeping listlessly? Hugging a pillow? Blankets tucked in snuggly up to her chin? A renegade foot hanging off the edge?

Matthew was shaken free from his daydreaming by a sudden sound, soft and faint but quaking in contrast to the silent room. His heart jumped a high bar, it's acrobatics tying his stomach in a knot in the process. Jade had groaned and placed a hand over her face, rubbing it remedially.

She was waking up.

Matthew rocketed to his feet, inadvertently grabbing her unoccupied hand as he stood over her. He swallowed anxiously, the distressed impatience growing in his expectant gape by the second until finally, her eyes opened. The breath he had been holding flooded from the wide smile he could not suppress. It grew more so as her eyes met his. Dark blue, like sapphires, they danced with the flicker of life. Their locked gaze sent a surge through Matthew's veins. Thrill, relief, anticipation…

… And suddenly, pain. His face shot toward it's source. Jade's grip had ironed around the hand he had slid into hers. Confused, he looked back to her, catching a mere flash of the glare she donned before her elbow shot up, colliding with his nose. Matthew keeled back, the taste of metal filling his throat as he stumbled into the dresser opposite the bed. He pressed the side of his thumb to his nostrils, damming the blood creeping toward his lips. He regained his composure as quickly as he could manage, he looked up in time to see Jade scrambling from her bed to the corner of the room furthest from him. Panting, she looked panicked, instinctively ready for fight or flight.

"Who are-" seemed to be the only speech she could muster, and what she could was nearly incomprehendable, wheezy and croaked due to her underutilized vocal cords. Her hand flew to her neck, as if searching for her voice.

Matthew raised the hand not holding his nose and held it up to her. "Whoa, whoa, relax," he eased.

Jade showed no intent to pay hee to him. Her sights darted about the room in desperation until they fell on the door that led to the hallway. Matthew had left it propped, and mentally kicked himself for it as the girl glanced challengingly at him, and took off through it.

"Wait!" he called to her fruitlessly, and followed through the exit. He found her sinking to the hardwood floor as he caught up to her. Adrenaline was all that had abled her to get as far as she had, and as it diminished her muscles began to succumb to the atrophy that came from a week free of movement.

Matthew kept his distance, both for Jade's security and his safety. He was almost certain she'd broken his nose.

"It's okay. I don't want to hurt you," he assured her calmly.

As he took a slow step toward her and she threw up her arm defensively, a white glow filled her fist, and left behind an intricate sword as it faded. Matthew's jaw dropped. Oddly, Jade looked even more surprised than he did. Her face stricken with petrified terror, she threw the weapon to the ground and shuffled back from it, trembling from head to toe.

Matthew heard a crowd of footsteps from behind him as Jade shakily wiped the sweat from her upper lip.

"What happened?" Natalee called worriedly.

"We heard crashing," Cameron explained.

D.A. and Eli were close at their heels, and all four froze in their tracks at the sight of Jade, awake and crumpled in a cowering heap on the ground before them.

"What did you do!?" D.A. exclaimed accusingly at Matthew.

He blinked at her in disbelief, finding her blame ironic. He was the one with blood gushing from his face, after all.

Natalee had knelt next to Jade and taken her arm gently in her grasp. "It's alright, you're safe. Come back to the room and we can explain, okay?"

Hesitantly, she nodded and allowed the helpful stranger to raise her to her feet and guide her back to the Green Room. Cameron, D.A. and Eli followed in turn, and the sword left behind on the floor burst away into a flare of light as Matthew swung the door shut behind him.

* * *

Maxx had never imagined she could find sheer bliss in basic human needs, but the large glass of water she was currently pouring down her muted throat and the fuzzy blanket draped over her shoulders had put her in a state of euphoria she couldn't compare to. Her hands were still shaking as she lowered the empty cup to her lap, but she had managed to calm her shock to minor restlessness. The colourful room, the view of the alley out the window, and the strangers surrounding her were unexpected and foreign sights. It was almost too much for her to absorb all at once.

A girl with yellow ribbons tied into her redwood hair claimed the glass from her unintentionally tight grip.

"Feel better?" she asked kindly.

Maxx nodded shortly. "Yeah… Thanks."

"I'm D.A.," she replied. "This is Natalee, Eli, and Cameron." She gestured to the individuals gathered before them in turn as she named them off. Each confirmed their introduction with a small wave. "And that one's Matthew," she concluded, cocking her chin to his location by the door. "I believe you've met."

"In a manner of speaking," Eli grinned, and tapped the side of his nose.

D.A. chuckled.

"And you are?" Natalee inquired.

The blonde girl hastily took the second glassful of water D.A. offered her. "I'm Maxx." A droplet of water trickled from the corner of her lips and down her chin as she drank greedily. "So what is this place?" she asked, wiping away the water.

She felt a bout of nervousness as the others exchanged reluctant glances.

"Traverse Town," Cameron finally answered.

"Tra-what?" she gaped, shaking her head doubtfully.

"Where are you from, Maxx?" Natalee questioned gently.

"Sunset Isle," she replied. "Does that matter?"

Eli disregarded her query, instead offering his own. "Before you woke up here, do you remember seeing any Heartless in your town?"

Maxx's face twisted, her confusion growing. "Heartless?"

The look of hesitation the group shared quickly transformed to one of astonishment.

"Uh… my homeroom teacher comes to mind," she offered, grinning meekly.

Her frail attempt at humour went unnoticed.

"What's the last thing you _do_ remember?" D.A. pressed.

A thoughtful frown claimed Maxx as she struggled to recall. "I remember... the night before the last week of school started. I did half my homework, brushed my teeth, put out my uniform, and went to bed."

"Did anything strange happen before then?" Eli grilled.

"No, it was-" She stopped herself, and crushed her eyes shut as she groaned in impatience. "What does all this have to with anything?"

Her jaw fell in disbelief as she was once again ignored, and all but Matthew convened into a tight huddle that emitted whispers Maxx could clearly make out.

"What do you think?"

"I don't know. She's obviously not from here."

"But how did she get here? She says there weren't any Heartless."

"Maybe she slept through the whole thing. It's happened before."

"And survived? No way…"

"HEY!"

Maxx's shout brought all attention her way. "Don't talk about me like I'm not here!" Glaring, she shot to her feet. "I want answers. Why am I here? Tell me what's going on." Her glower deepened as she was met with silence. " _Now_." she demanded warningly.

The room grew rigid with dread, but in spite of it, Matthew rose and paced calmly across the room to her. It was only when he stood closely in front of her that Maxx realized how tall he was, as she had to crane her neck to look into his face.

"The World of the Lost," he said plainly. "That's what the people who live here call this place. You aren't in another town, or a far-off city. You're on another world. Literally. And you're here because your world was destroyed." It took all he had to remain stoic as terror crept through every inch of the girl before him. Pain swelled in his chest to see her in such a state by his own hand, but she needed the truth, full and uninhibited, no matter how much it hurt. He knew from experience that treading lightly and allowing her to remain hopeful would only harm her more in the end. "The Heartless are mindless creatures, souls without hearts. They ravage worlds in their endless search to find what they what they lack. In the end they take over and swallow the heart of the world, destroying it. It's places, it's people, it's light… all fade away into darkness." He lowered his face to Maxx's level as she placed a hand over her mouth. "That's why you're here."

At first, she appeared speechless.

"Is that true?" she murmured after a long silence. "All of it?"

Natalee sighed, and nodded slowly.

Shoving Matthew aside, Maxx charged out the door to the hallway. He watched her leave, and found the others united in scowling at him.

"Why did you tell her like that?!" D.A. protested.

"Someone had to," he stated defiantly.

Realizing that reasoning with Matthew was pointless, Cameron kicked the floorboards, growled in defeat, and made for the exit. "Maxx, wait!"

The air was cool and damp against Maxx's skin, and the grey stone of the walkway cold under her bare feet. Her head spun as her senses tried to keep up with all there was to take in around her, and her mind raced. Sunset Isle disappearing, heartless creatures taking over, being sent to a whole different world… none of it was possible, and certainly not without her knowing. Yet here she was, standing in Traverse Town. The glare of it's coloured light shone hard in her eyes. The crisp night air filled her lungs. The taste of its foreign water still lingered on her tongue. This place was real.

It was more than her already fragile state of mind could handle. She felt like a stranger in her own skin. Unsure of what else to do with herself, her instinct fell to something she knew, something familiar. She turned and began to climb up the side of the building scaling the sills and outer framework toward the roof. She had reached the halfway point when the others tumbled out of the hotel. The sight made Cameron hold his head in his hands, as if he might collapse at any second.

"Oh god. Matthew, you made her go crazy."

"Maxx, come down!" Natalee pleaded.

She could hear those beneath her calling, but Maxx remained focused on her goal. A collective gasp sounded as she leapt a fair distance from a wide outcropping and barely caught the gutter of a narrow dormer. Her teeth ground roughly as she roused the strength to lift her weight up onto the rooftop.

Surrounded by his friends, all of them frozen with worry, Matthew huffed, and stalked back into the hotel unnoticed.

Maxx had shuffled to the edge of the dormer in the meantime, and now stood clinging tightly to an iron post that held a string of buzzing golden bulbs who's glow had attracted a flock of moths. From her perch, she could see far beyond the structures of the district. Red and brown shingled steeples and spires stretched far into the horizon where they met the dark, star-dusted sheet of the night sky. There was no sea, no cliffs, no crumbling mansion tucked into a temperate rainforest, no wind wafting brine. Only endless buildings lit by neon and halogen, and a breeze that carried the scent of chimney smoke swaying her matted hair.

She was unable to tear away her gaze as the window under her popped open, from which Matthew emerged. He planted himself firmly on the sill, and pulled himself up next to her.

"It's real…" she breathed.

"Staring won't make it go away," he stated. "Believe me, I've been trying for a year now."

Maxx felt her grip loosen on the pole as she slid to her knees. "Why me?" she choked. "Why did I survive?"

"Can't say," he replied. "That's the one thing we don't know, and it's the one question everyone asks."

The flood of emotions that careened through her was clearly visible in her widened eyes. For many moments it seemed too much for her to absorb, until she finally spoke.

"Matthew…"

"Yes?"

"Thank you."

He half-grinned, her response unexpected. "For what?"

"For telling me the truth," she responded. "It was hard to hear, but I'm glad you did what you did. It took guts." She turned toward him, smiling sympathetically. "And I'm sorry I broke your nose."

He chuckled, and lightly pinched the bruise that had formed between his eyes. "It's okay. It'll grow back."

Maxx laughed. The sandy roof tiles ground under her as she shuffled to sit next to him, and held out her hand. "Give me your belt," she requested upfront.

He blinked, taken aback. "Excuse me?"

"Just do it," she coaxed.

Matthew cocked an eyebrow suspiciously, but did as she asked and reached for his buckle.

"Oh my," a voice giggled. D.A. had poked her head out the window he had previously opened, along with Natalee, Cameron and Eli behind her. "What's going on here?"

Matthew handed the strap to Maxx, and raised his hands as he shrugged.

"Witness my genius," his rooftop companion gloated confidently. She crudely folded the strap in half, and held it before his face. "Bite down," she instructed. He faltered, only to have her jerk it closer to his pursed mouth. Tentatively, he did as he was told. Before he could react, Maxx tangled one hand into his dark hair, and took hold of the bridge of his nose with the other.

"This is going to hurt," she informed quickly.

And hurt it did. The group in the window cringed as Maxx's grip cracked Matthew's nose back into place.

"Ooh…" they echoed.

Pain flared across the battered boy's face. He recoiled out of Maxx's hands and slammed his fist into the roof, his belt still held between his teeth.

"That should do it," she declared, brushing her palms.

"Great, wonderful, perfect," Cameron rambled tetchily. "Now will both of you get down from there."

Maxx rolled her eyes. "Fine, fine, you win." She hopped to her feet, stood over the window, and lowered herself down. She looked to be sure Matthew had followed, and found him still collapsed and holding his face. "Aw, come on," she said teasingly. "Don't be such a baby."

"Uhg," he grunted, and replaced his belt. After blinking away the sting and tears that had welled in his eyes, he swung quickly through the window and into the top floor corridor, relishing in the safety of solid ground. "Our place is two floors down," he told Maxx.

Her head titled inquisitively. "Oh, I'm moving?"

"We have an extra bunk," he explained, and smirked. "The Green Room is getting sick of you."

She grinned. "Sounds good."

Matthew took her shoulder, turned her, and led her to the stairwell with his grasp. His face continued to throb, and he grimaced. "Remind me never to wake you up again."

Maxx simply snickered, and passed through the door held open for her. "Only if you feed me. I'm starved. What do you guys have?"

Her guide smiled thoughtfully, despite the discomfort it caused to his face. "Hmm…"

* * *

"Rice porridge?" Maxx's nose crinkled as a hefty bowl of the white, pasty, herb-speckled substance was place before her.

"Picky eater?" D.A. chastised, waving a finger at her. "Not in this apartment."

"No, nothing like that." The congee squelched around Maxx's spoon as she placed the first bite in her mouth. "I was just expecting something a little more… exotic. You know, being in another world and all."

While the word average perfectly described the bowl of food she currently ate, it couldn't be applied to anything else in her surroundings. The apartment was one room, with the exception of the curtained shower nook in the far corner. Three sets of bunk beds constructed from pine planks flanked the walls. Each was made with white sheets and a dark blue blanket. A lamp and small shelf were mounted on the wall, above each person's head and feet respectively. Every bunk had a white linen curtain that could be drawn for privacy. Between two of the bunk sets was a small armchair, patterned with blue gingham. Shelves lined with books hung above it.

The tiny kitchen was built into the corner opposite the beds, and around the nearby square pillar. Bread and fruit in baskets lay on the wooden butcher-block counters. Pots, pans, and utensils hung from hooks and bars on the walls. Dishes and silverware were stacked in open shelving. Ebony brown cabinets built around the oven and sink held bags of flour and rice, spices, and other things Maxx hadn't been able to identify.

An entryway had been formed by the clever placement of shelf units and a bench. Boxes, baskets, and containers were tightly arranged, providing extra storage to contain who-knew-what. Under the bench was a line of shoes, neatly tucked away, and above it a row of six hooks held jackets and scarves.

Placed in the center of it all was a large rectangular table, mismatched chairs of wood, wicker, and metal surrounding the perimeter. It was there that Maxx now sat and the others slowly joined her. All but Matthew, who now lay on his bunk with large headphones over his ears and a bag of ice on his face.

The book Eli had been poring over hit the table with a thud as he sat himself. "What do you eat in…" he paused, searching his memory for the name of Maxx's world.

"Sunset Isle," she reminded. "Besides porridge? Mostly seafood. It's a fishing town, after all. Meat is a special occasion thing. The bakers are quite genius too. The sea air makes yeast do pretty amazing things. Oh, and all the kids eat sea salt ice cream bars."

She grinned as the others' gagged at the thought.

"They're better than they sound," she insisted.

Her stomach now filled with sticky rice, Maxx sunk her spoon into what remained, and sighed determinedly. "So what happens to me now?"

"Well…" Natalee hummed thoughtfully, "normally, you'd do what everyone else did. You'd find a job, a place to live…"

"And spent the rest of your days trying to accept that this is your new reality," Cameron added.

"But…?" Maxx coaxed.

"You see, there's one thing Matthew didn't tell you, and it's sort of important," D.A. told her.

"And what's that?" she asked tentatively. So much had already happened, Maxx wasn't sure if she could take another piece of bad news.

"You're the first person who has shown up in a year," Eli confessed. "Since everything happened."

The questioning girl blinked. "Since what happened?"

"The Heartless first appeared a year ago," he explained. "They began destroying worlds, and people started showing up here. And they would have continued forever if it wasn't for Sora."

Natalee continued. "Sora had the power to wield the keyblade, the weapon that could destroy the Heartless and seal the hearts of worlds by locking the keyhole that leads to it. When his world was destroyed, he traveled to many others doing exactly that."

"Until he finally came to Kingdom Hearts," Cameron persisted. "It's the heart of all worlds. Believing that it would give him great power, a man named Ansem attempted to harness the darkness he thought lay within it."

"But Sora defeated him!" D.A. psyched gleefully. "And sealed Kingdom Hearts for good."

"Which brings us to where we are now," Eli finished. "And here you are."

Maxx grinned mischievously. "So… I'm kind of a big deal?"

Natalee chuckled. "Yeah, I guess you are."

"But what does it all mean?" she strained.

"We aren't really sure," Cameron admitted. "We've only heard all this second hand. Even though Sora arrived in Traverse Town after we all did, we never actually met him."

"But our boss Cid has," D.A. assured. "He works with a group who knew him very well."

"He's with them right now, as a matter of fact," Natalee said. "On their home world of Hollow Bastion. He went to tell them about you."

Eli nodded. "I'm sure he'll have answers when he comes back."

Maxx frowned. At first she thought to ask how long it would be until this Cid's return, but decided against it. Knowing wouldn't change anything. "So what happens in the meantime?"

"You can stay here with us," D.A. replied. "Maybe help us out at the stores if you feel like it."

Maxx glanced down at her uncovered feet and scant apparel. "I'm going to need some clothes if you want me to do your job," she remarked.

"Oh, that reminds me…" Natalee exclaimed, and jumped up from her seat. She tugged the curtain back from the unused bunk, pulled a blue and black stack of fabric from under its pillow, and offered it to her guest. "This is what you were wearing when Matthew found you."

Her eyes widened, and she grabbed the corners of the blue article. It unfolded as she lifted it.

"My yukata…" she breathed. The item had tears and smudges, but it was definitely hers.

"Ohh…" D.A. cooed. "It's so pretty. You dress nice on Sunset Isle."

"No, you don't understand," she struggled, clinging the garb to her chest. "There's only one day in the entire year I would wear this."

The others leaned forward, anticipatory.

"The Dusk Blossom festival," she murmured, and her face snapped into realization. "That was a week after the last day I remember."

"Eureka!" Eli grinned. "That's another chunk of time you can account for."

Maxx bit her lip. "Maybe, but what happened in that week I lost?"

"You can try and remember while we wait for Cid," Natalee encouraged. "And tomorrow we'll buy you some new clothes. You can't run around in something as special as that. I can mend it for you if you want, too."

Nodding, Maxx handed the yukata back.

D.A. yawned, and sunk into her chair. "Well, I'm beat!"

Natalee smiled gently. "I think we all are. Let's turn in. Maxx, you're bunk is the top one next to Matthew." She pointed to the bed, and it's assigned occupant rose from her chair and leapt up into it without use of the ladder.

Natalee snorted. "Is this a habit of yours, all the climbing and jumping? You're going to get hurt."

"Haven't broken anything yet," she replied, and winked.

Her hostess sighed, and poked Matthew's shoulder. He lifted his ice and shrugged one ear free.

"Lights out," she told him, and held out her hand.

He handed her his ice pack, flipped the power switch on his headphones, and placed them on his shelf.

The room was a symphony of rustling sheets as all in it settled into their respective bunks. The ice bag hit the sink with a clank as Natalee tossed it in, and drowned the room in darkness with a flip of the light switch.

* * *

The constellations hidden in the spackled ceiling were engrained in Maxx's memory as she sighed in aggravation for what felt like the hundredth time. Sleep refused to come to her. She had tossed, turned, adjusted her pillow, and counted sheep for hours, but her mind wouldn't allow her to drift off.

Matthew, who had been woken some time ago by her stirs, could hear every move through the curtain. He recalled his first night in Traverse Town distinctly. The fear, the uncertainty, it could keep even the most level-headed person awake. Everyone had coping mechanisms they discovered over time, himself included. Maxx would find her own eventually, but for the time being…

The girl jumped as the curtain adjacent her head was yanked aside.

"Can't sleep?" he asked her. He had arced his upper body over the rail of his bunk and hovered his face over hers.

She nodded. Despite the calm façade she wore, Matthew could easily see the distress hidden behind it, resonating clearly from her deep blue eyes.

He flashed her a comforting smile. "Everything will be fine."

Her face contorted doubtfully, then buried itself in her hands. A muffled grunt emanated through her fingers. "Gah…"

She heard Matthew move, and slid her hands from her eyes. When he turned back, his finger hung his headphones just over her nose.

"Just listen to the music," he instructed. "Don't think about anything else. Focus on the sound."

Maxx pulled away her hands as he fit the headset gently over her ears. She heard the click of the on switch, and a sweet, sombre melody filled the air in the ear cups. She took a deep breath, and exhaled slowly. Her shoulders relaxed, and her eyelids crept closed as the notes streamed across her consciousness. She wasn't sure if it would help her sleep, but she _did_ feel better. Why Matthew had spent all evening tuning the rest of them out suddenly made sense. The music carried her to calm thoughts, to a better place.

A faint smile graced her lips. If she couldn't sleep, at least she could dream.

* * *

Hangers clanged together, one after the other, as Maxx filed through the endless racks of clothes. After a satisfying breakfast, which to her relief was _not_ porridge, D.A. and Natalee had taken her to the nearby suit and dress shop. Though they had insisted it sold more besides, she was starting to have doubts. Nothing she had found so far even remotely interested her. She didn't feel like she was being picky. Whatever she was going to chose had fit a very short list of criteria. She had to be able to move freely, no frilly-lacies, and above all, it had to fit properly. The clothes Natalee had loaned her, which were far too big, only reemphasized that last requirement.

"Gah…" she growled. "Does everyone in this town dress like they're going to cotillion?" She was exaggerating, but frustration was beginning to get the better of her.

Natalee smirked coyly. "What can I say? Most adults don't need clothes they can climb walls in. That's what kids look for."

Maxx halted her search suddenly and slowly turned to her new friend, looking equally sly.

"Wait," Natalee protested as she headed to a unit of cubbies holding adolescent clothing. "I was joking."

"Desperate times, desperate measures," she announced confidently, loading her arms with a stack of outfits.

She strode to a change room while Natalee continued to object. "They won't fit, Maxx. You aren't a kid."

The determined girl held her palm over her head. "With my height, I may as well be."

The drape of the stall shot shut. Natalee sighed submissively, and looked to D.A.

She shrugged. "Who knows?"

"They sell any shoes in this places?" Maxx's voice asked, slightly muffled by the curtain.

Natalee half smiled and shook her head. "Yes, Maxx."

"Awesome," the change room replied. "Cause I think we've found what we're looking for."

* * *

"Well, it all fits," D.A. observed, watching Maxx as she jogged in place.

"'Feels pretty good," she added, especially grateful for the strong gripped treads on the soles of her new sneakers. Her first encounter with the Traverse Town outdoors had been deceiving. The sudden transition from the warmth of the Green Room to the outside had cast chills nipping over her skin. However, after adjusting to the climate, the night air proved to be rather balmy. It was in that discovery the Maxx had opted for a pair of black clam diggers and a short cream vest, leaving her arms and calves exposed to the tepid air. Under the vest, a red shirt that didn't quite cover her midsection was zipped up over her chest.

"I just need a little test," she said thoughtfully. "See if I can actually climb in these." The muscles in her shoulders flexed expectantly as she stretched her arms outward.

"Hey, what about the bell?" D.A. chimed.

Maxx glanced at her questioningly.

"Up in the tower," she explained, pointing across the square to the district's highest building. "It hasn't been rung since the gizmo shop got locked up. Maybe you could reach it."

Natalee crossed her arms and shot Maxx a wary glance. "Will it make a difference if I point out that it's dangerous?"

She was met with one of her new friend's all-too-common confident grins. "Nope."

In a flurry of footsteps, she took off before she could be lectured with any more cautious advice. A beeline to the bell was too short for Maxx's acceptance, and chose to weave about the clearing, vaulting over dividers, scaling walls, jumping across benches, and skidding under obstacles.

D.A. exhaled a dreamy sigh as she watched, to which Natalee chuckled.

"What has you so pleased?" she rhetorically teased.

"She just looks so happy," D.A. replied pensively. Maxx had reached the ladder next the to east door of the Gizmo Shop, and was rushing up it's rungs to the bell concourse. "I haven't seen her smile like that since she got here, have you?"

Natalee nodded slowly, her eyes glazing sadly as she observed Maxx shaking the cobwebs from the rope that rang the bell. "I haven't seen _anyone_ smile like that since they got here."

She stumbled as D.A. flung her arms around her neck, pulling her shoulder against her chest, and couldn't help but feel better as her best friend flashed one of her infectious, beaming grins.

"Don't worry! It's just like Matthew said, things are about to change." Natalee's head bobbed as her neck received an encouraging tug. "Just you wait and see."

The weight of the bell lifted Maxx from her feet as she tolled it thrice. It's chimes pealed across Traverse Town's open courtyards, drifted through its narrow streets, and echoed about its tunnels. The tone, rich and deep, drew the trodden denizens from their home to the streets, stirred by the unfamiliar sound. Among them, Eli, Cameron and Matthew emerged from the hotel. Mist chilled their faces as the bells third ring activated the fountain built into the southern wall of the district's square.

Amongst the surprising scattering of faces that met her as she approached the edge of the platform, Maxx could see the boys, and waved. She grinned widely as they waved back, and what sounded like it could be all of Traverse Town began to clap and shout gleefully. Their happy cheers met her back as she turned to ring out an encore.

The joyous atmosphere was short lived, for within the shadows a field of black spot spawned. From each, a twitching pair of yellow eyes emerged. Long antennae sprouted from inky bodies that scuttled and stretched. Maxx slid slowly back from the crowd of creatures, and swiftly found herself facing a sea of shroud.

"Heartless!" a petrified voice shouted from far below.

Outside the dress shop, D.A. clung anxiously to Natalee's arm as the swell of Heartless appeared over the edge of the roof of the gizmo shop, and ebbed from the side streets.

"Neos," Cameron breathed, wide-eyed. The shoulders of the crowd bombarded him as he moved against it's flow. As the rest of Traverse Town fled for the safety of the First District, he and his companions shoved and pushed their way to the girls.

"Cameron!" Natalee cried, relieved, and gathered his sleeves in her fingers.

He took hold of her elbows reassuringly. "Are you two okay?"

D.A. nodded sharply. "I've never seen this many Heartless at once. What happened?!"

Eli crouched over the wall, staring hard at the river of Heartless pouring from the Third District. "There's no logical explanation for this..."

Matthew joined him, looking up instead of down. Maxx was still high above, and giving the horde of Heartless a run for their munny, tearing away each that leapt at her with her bare hands. He gasped as he recalled their encounter in the hotel hallway, and called to her over the chaos.

His voice reached her, barely, a pebble's ripple in the maelstrom.

"Maxx! The sword!"

As if prompted by him, the weapon appeared in her grasp, and relieved her of three Heartless in one swing. It took only a few repetitions of the movement for Maxx to realize anything she killed instantly regenerated, and the time to consider fleeing had come. Her vest was removed and slung over the nearest string of lights in one centripetal motion of her arms. A scant few unfortunate Heartless jumped for her and missed, falling to their untimely end as she zip-lined down the cord. Strands of hair snapped at her cheeks as she slid, and she eased her grip once above the Lost Children. The ground reverberated under her ungraceful landing.

Natalee uncharacteristically wasted no time on pleasantries or sentiments.

"I'd say things have happened, wouldn't you all?" Cid's velvet bag clicked from within as she held it up. Light glinted from the contents as Natalee dumped a handful of glowing white pearls into her palm.

As she was about to curse Cid for egging her with something so appallingly useless, Eli jaw-dropped. "Linkpearls!"

"Gesundheit," D.A. quipped.

He scowled. "No time for jokes! Grab one and put it in your ear," he instructed, and followed his own direction.

"Are you daft?" Natalee accused.

"Just trust me," he insisted. "I read about them in a book once."

Natalee's cupped fingers emptied as five hands reached into them and took a pearl of their own. Each member of the tight circle had a glimmering nestled on the left side of their head before they were readily awaiting further orders from the group scholastic.

"What now Eli?" D.A.'s hands waved coaxingly.

The well-read boy grinned as each pearl flared into life. "See you on the other side."

Maxx felt her stomach lurch as the pearl's unknown power dematerialized her body, and her wrist contort in Matthew's strong, familiar grasp.

An instant later, in a literal flash, Traverse Town was gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And just like that, our time in Traverse Town is over. Next stop? Well, you'll see next chapter, of course.
> 
> As of now you have met and spent a fair amount of time with all the OCs who will be appearing in this story. Remember them all? Good! Who's your favorite? I like writing D.A. a lot. She's so perky and enthusiastic. Everything she says and does makes me smile.
> 
> The Lost Children's apartment is based off a photograph in an Ikea catalogue. I thought that it was good balance. While they all live in one small room, it isn't squalor. It felt like it would clearly represent how everyone lived in Traverse Town a year after the events of Kingdom Hearts.
> 
> The linkpearls are another Final Fantasy concept. In XI and XIV 'Linkshells' are the equivalent of guilds and you join and chat by equipping linkpearls. They rest in the crook of your ear and glow when they are taken out to show they are active (Although you can't actually see then in the game. It is portrayed in concept art, however). The normal pearls can't teleport, but there are special ones that can, so technically I didn't simply add that out of convenience. They also come in any colour you want, but I decided to go with white.
> 
> Yes, you really can fix a broken nose that way, although I wouldn't recommend it if you have access to medical care. Matthew was actually a pretty tough nut about it considering how painful it is.
> 
> For anyone who is curious, I drew the cover image. I'm so glad FFnet added that feature.
> 
> Don't forget to drop off a comment, guys. They bring me the joys, and I'm happy to answer any reasonable, non-spoiler questions you might have.
> 
> Till next we post!
> 
> Au revoir!  
> Sayonara!  
> Buenos noches!


End file.
